Despite the fact that Elon University's colors have long been maroon and gold, its perpetual efforts toward increased environmental sustainability may soon turn the school colors to an Earth-friendly green.
But Elon is not the only campus to embrace the “all things green” mentality. The trend of increased sustainability has been popping up on college campuses across the country, effectively announcing a conscious effort by American youth that Al Gore would be proud of: to accept responsibility for the preservation of our environment.
But going green means more than just creating campaigns toward conserving energy and recycling. The sustainability efforts of a university help paint it as a socially conscious institution of higher learning. From a collegiate administration standpoint, trying to become more sustainable translates to a lot of great publicity, which could mean more federal grants for achievement in energy conservation and donations from environmentally-conscious alumni. Essentially, there is a potential for a healthy bottom line.
At any point in the year, Elon’s campus-wide efforts toward going green are usually in full swing. Some of our campus buildings are LEED-certified for maintaining exceptional standards of energy conservation.
The Office of Sustainability adds to this green dream through monthly alternating themes geared toward encouraging students to reconsider the effects their lifestyles have on the environment. In November, we saw a campaign advocating the consumption of sustainable foods and local organic products. In December, alternative transportation was all the buzz, as students were encouraged to get in the habit of carpooling, walking and biking in lieu of public transportation. February's theme promoted recycling. And with the POWERless campaign having recently kicked off in our residence halls to help promote conservation awareness, it's safe to say that Elon’s commitment to sustainability is staunch.
But sustainable efforts made by American colleges today mean more than just an effort to save gas by walking to class or recycling additional products.
Sustainability has now become a major source of pride, and sometimes bragging rights, for college campuses themselves. Every year, colleges hire sustainability coordinators and advocate the creation of new sustainability committees to add to its sustainable efforts.
Campuses find themselves in (sometimes not so) friendly competitions over who is most environmentally friendly, with the same intensity that they might have for academic or athletic achievement. But it seems that some schools may forget what the real point of sustainability is. And as some colleges try to overpower rival sustainability campaigns with such zealotry, it makes us wonder: Should doing good things for the sake of reward really be considered doing good things?
Sustainability is all the rage on American college campuses across the country, as the movement to go green now means more than just saving energy. For some, it means teaching students about the meaning of responsibility and committing oneself to an admirable cause.
To others, it means extra publicity and possibly some extra money to throw around in the annual budget. And still others merely participate out of pride in their school. Whatever the reason, Elon’s efforts to go green are far from over.