Is NGCSU playing a part in the 'green initiative' or not?
Tabitha Davidson
Issue date: 1/8/10 Section: Opinion
Campuses, communities and businesses everywhere are participating in the "green initiative" that has been sweeping the nation for the past few years.
What, then, has NGCSU done to make our campus more sustainable?
Several student and faculty groups have been talking about making "green" improvements on campus for quite some time, but the results have been difficult to find.
In the fall of 2008, I began the Environmental Awareness Club. We had several members who seemed to be concerned with sustainability efforts on campus, but it was more than difficult to get people to participate in our efforts.
We came up with several ideas: a recycling dance, energy stickers to remind people to turn off their lights, various awareness projects, volunteer events, but failed to gain much involvement.
It seems as though this severe lack of participation has been the biggest problem that sustainability initiators have come into contact with.
Student-led organizations, including the Environmental Awareness Club, Student Government Association and Student Activities Board, have been talking about improving campus sustainability for a while. As a student, I have heard about recycling efforts for at least three years, leading me to question whether something is actually going on around campus or not.
As it turns out, there were recycling bins placed in various locations around campus, primarily in the HNS building and Hoag Student Center. But instead of taking the items in those bins to a recycling facility, they were taken to the county dump.
As a result of this outrage, NGCSU teamed with Lumpkin County over the past summer to provide a recycling center closer to campus. The new center is located at Radar Ridge.
Currently, there are several recycling practices in place. According to Plant Operations Manager Todd Bermann, NGCSU recycles the following: spent fluorescent light bulbs, automotive batteries and building backup system batteries, used automotive tires, reclaimed refrigerant chemicals (such as Freon), used motor oil, scrap metal and more.
Through Plant Operations, I also learned that all of the sink faucets on campus have been converted to prevent water waste. Low-flow shower heads have been installed on all showers and urinals and toilets have been converted to low-flow where possible.
With regards to grounds maintenance, Joseph Cubera said that NGCSU now has a standardized lawn maintenance fleet, so that parts can be swapped, time and money can be saved, and longevity of the machines currently in use can be increased.
This team also conducts plant rescues when plants are in areas marked for demolition or construction. Over the past few years, they have saved dogwoods, pecans, crape myrtles, Japanese maples and more, as well as different types of bushes.
I also discovered that there are several efforts being made through the academic departments as well.
In BIO 1260 classes, students are asked to suggest at least one sustainability idea for the NGCSU campus as an assignment.
Dr. Robert Fuller's engineering classes are encouraged to work on sustainability projects.
The leadership program in the psychology department has developed a "Green Map."
And, there are currently several service learning projects that promote sustainability both on campus and in the community.
Though sustainability practices are in place at NGCSU, they have been transparent to the majority of the student body. The best way for those involved in sustainability practices to have their efforts noticed is to broadcast it somehow.
Inform students and faculty members through weekly email newsletters, publish articles in The Saint, submit interesting facts about your efforts to SAB for inclusion in the Flush Flash. Let us know what you're doing!
As for students, faculty and staff, I encourage you to get involved. There are Sustainability Group meetings every Thursday at 12:45 p.m. - open to anyone - where suggestions and ideas are welcomed.
The SGA recently began a weekly edition of "green tips" that can be found in every student newsletter, and, in partnership with the Sustainability Group, will be sponsoring "Earth Jam" this spring.
The Environmental Awareness Club, SGA, and SAB all maintain group sites on Facebook; join clubs, show your interest, and participate.
Dr. Nancy Dalman, Assistant Professor of Biology, said that "The biggest obstacle really is that we faculty [and students] are so darn busy that no one has the time to really devote to going full out on this."
Regardless of how much time each individual is able to spend helping the campus along with the "going green" process, "even little changes are better than nothing and if we keep persevering, the word will get out and the movement will continue to grow on this campus," Dalman added.
• In reference to the "Green Map" developed within the psychology department, see:.
• In reference to Sustainability Group meetings, projects, and other initiatives on campus, contact Dr. Nancy Dalman at.
What, then, has NGCSU done to make our campus more sustainable?
Several student and faculty groups have been talking about making "green" improvements on campus for quite some time, but the results have been difficult to find.
In the fall of 2008, I began the Environmental Awareness Club. We had several members who seemed to be concerned with sustainability efforts on campus, but it was more than difficult to get people to participate in our efforts.
We came up with several ideas: a recycling dance, energy stickers to remind people to turn off their lights, various awareness projects, volunteer events, but failed to gain much involvement.
It seems as though this severe lack of participation has been the biggest problem that sustainability initiators have come into contact with.
Student-led organizations, including the Environmental Awareness Club, Student Government Association and Student Activities Board, have been talking about improving campus sustainability for a while. As a student, I have heard about recycling efforts for at least three years, leading me to question whether something is actually going on around campus or not.
As it turns out, there were recycling bins placed in various locations around campus, primarily in the HNS building and Hoag Student Center. But instead of taking the items in those bins to a recycling facility, they were taken to the county dump.
As a result of this outrage, NGCSU teamed with Lumpkin County over the past summer to provide a recycling center closer to campus. The new center is located at Radar Ridge.
Currently, there are several recycling practices in place. According to Plant Operations Manager Todd Bermann, NGCSU recycles the following: spent fluorescent light bulbs, automotive batteries and building backup system batteries, used automotive tires, reclaimed refrigerant chemicals (such as Freon), used motor oil, scrap metal and more.
Through Plant Operations, I also learned that all of the sink faucets on campus have been converted to prevent water waste. Low-flow shower heads have been installed on all showers and urinals and toilets have been converted to low-flow where possible.
With regards to grounds maintenance, Joseph Cubera said that NGCSU now has a standardized lawn maintenance fleet, so that parts can be swapped, time and money can be saved, and longevity of the machines currently in use can be increased.
This team also conducts plant rescues when plants are in areas marked for demolition or construction. Over the past few years, they have saved dogwoods, pecans, crape myrtles, Japanese maples and more, as well as different types of bushes.
I also discovered that there are several efforts being made through the academic departments as well.
In BIO 1260 classes, students are asked to suggest at least one sustainability idea for the NGCSU campus as an assignment.
Dr. Robert Fuller's engineering classes are encouraged to work on sustainability projects.
The leadership program in the psychology department has developed a "Green Map."
And, there are currently several service learning projects that promote sustainability both on campus and in the community.
Though sustainability practices are in place at NGCSU, they have been transparent to the majority of the student body. The best way for those involved in sustainability practices to have their efforts noticed is to broadcast it somehow.
Inform students and faculty members through weekly email newsletters, publish articles in The Saint, submit interesting facts about your efforts to SAB for inclusion in the Flush Flash. Let us know what you're doing!
As for students, faculty and staff, I encourage you to get involved. There are Sustainability Group meetings every Thursday at 12:45 p.m. - open to anyone - where suggestions and ideas are welcomed.
The SGA recently began a weekly edition of "green tips" that can be found in every student newsletter, and, in partnership with the Sustainability Group, will be sponsoring "Earth Jam" this spring.
The Environmental Awareness Club, SGA, and SAB all maintain group sites on Facebook; join clubs, show your interest, and participate.
Dr. Nancy Dalman, Assistant Professor of Biology, said that "The biggest obstacle really is that we faculty [and students] are so darn busy that no one has the time to really devote to going full out on this."
Regardless of how much time each individual is able to spend helping the campus along with the "going green" process, "even little changes are better than nothing and if we keep persevering, the word will get out and the movement will continue to grow on this campus," Dalman added.
• In reference to the "Green Map" developed within the psychology department, see:
• In reference to Sustainability Group meetings, projects, and other initiatives on campus, contact Dr. Nancy Dalman at
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Peggy Stimak
posted 1/11/10 @ 10:12 AM EST
This article was very-well written and informative! Thanks!
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