Living Green

So upon our arrival to Gilbert Hall in late August of 2008, I was excited to see that many of the sustainable features of the building blended into the overall aesthetic so well. The technology incorporated in the building does not intrude upon the students' lives, and this is why I think the students here at Pacific University are so receptive to our efforts to lead sustainable lives. Students, in my experience, have come to realize that simple adjustments to everyday habits and behaviors are contributing to the greater good.
With a recycling room on each floor, the residents have been doing really well at separating their non-recyclable items, and then even taking the step further to separate their recyclable items into their proper containers. The Resident Assistants have put up signage indicating what items are recyclable and which containers to use. Not only does recycling eliminate waste in landfills, it slows the number of times the kitchen trash has to be taken out!
As we closed the building for Winter Break, several students either stopped by or sent me an email to get some information on what an appropriate temperature to set their thermostat would be. Several students have commented on how they keep their thermostats set at lower temperatures during the academic year, and just add on another sweatshirt or blanket when the outdoor temperature takes a dip.
Lights and electronic devices in the common areas are all set to timers or motion sensors to reduce the amount of electricity the building uses. Additionally, students seem to be taking this into consideration as well, because a look from the outside of the building doesn't show many windows illuminated on a constant basis. Knowing that my residents and neighbors are all pretty busy people and are often elsewhere on campus or in the community, it's nice to see that lights are turned off in the apartments when no one is home.
The idea of bringing your own flatware or dishes to programming is catching on as well. Not only does this save me some $$ in my programming budget by not having to buy disposable or paper-goods, it's doing the environment a favor as well. BYOB (bring your own bowl) ice cream parties have been sponsored by the Gilbert staff as well as the Gilbert Hall Council.
Many residents may have chosen to live in Gilbert because it was the newest building with the best amenities, but throughout our time during our first year in Gilbert, I think students have built some skills and habits that will carry-over to living elsewhere on campus or beyond upon their graduation from Pacific. While there is always more we can do as a group or as an individual, I'm proud of the efforts the Gilbert residents have made this year, and I think their efforts have been contagious to other residence halls on campus.