Green projects aim to change campus culture

Drew University wants to be greener. In fact, Drew wants to be so green that soon it will become neutral-carbon neutral, that is.

To that end, President Weisbuch signed the Presidential Climate Commitment, joining 572 other colleges and universities across the country in a commitment to eliminate global warming emissions.

"We've always had a lot of good intentions," Professor of Economics Fred Curtis said. "But in the last year, we've vamped it up a lot and this year we'll ramp it up even more. It's a lot of stuff you see and a lot of stuff you don't see."

The biggest thing that Drew is doing now is the new dorm, Curtis said.

The dorm is going to be a certified green building able to generate heating and cooling by tapping into the ground.

However, Drew has been helping the environment for years. For example, all cut grass and collected leaves are composted.

Campus Sustainability Coordinator Christina Notas said Drew is "slowly but surely changing the culture of the campus."

By "spearheading all of the environmental initiatives," Notas hopes to reduce Drew's carbon footprint. Drew is offering programs which allow students to be involved, she said.

Existing ways for involvement include recycling and the Zipcars.

Notas estimates that upward of 75 people signed up for the cars. "Using a Zipcar is like taking a car off the road because they're so fuel efficient," she said.

Other new programs include the Drew Yellow Bike Program and the freshman class's Lug This Mug program.

Yellow Bikes is a free bike- sharing program that allows students to ride the bikes throughout the campus, enabling them to leave their cars at home.

Students can register at drew.edu/bikes. Registered students can pick up a key at the University Center Desk at the Student Activities Office.

The Lug This Mug program encourages students to reduce their use of disposable cups.

Members of the freshman class were given a mug made of 70 percent recycled plastic that they can use instead of disposable cups.

"To encourage sustainability, Drew's food service allows mug carriers to fill any size reusable travel mug for the price of a small coffee at the UC snack bar and Brothers College café," a card included with the mug said.

"Reducing trash reduces greenhouse gases," Notas said.

The Student Government Association is doing their part as well.

"In order to remember our commitment to sustainability, the SGA put aside money from our budget to help with the sustainability efforts on campus," SGA President Dana Etkowicz ('09)said.

"I am hoping to use the money and will be meeting with the chair of the sustainability committee on campus, Professor Fred Curtis, as well as the new campus director of sustainability in the next week."

The commitment is to become greener, according to Curtis. "It's a process. It's a commitment from the president on down. We're doing this with full support from the president," he said.

Weisbuch is "delighted with the degree of energy and commitment" that the Drew community has shown.

"I have never seen a single area of interest and concern galvanize so much good thought and effort," he said in an e-mail.

Curtis notices the student activism as well. "There can be two reactions - 'oh, ok' or 'great' and that 'great' can be 'great, what can I do?' Once we explain how this is good for everybody, everybody will want to get involved."

The outcome of greening the campus would be positive, Curtis said. "It gives us a certain compatibility of what we do in the physical world and what we teach in the classroom. We're going to practice what we preach."