Tips for a greener Centre

RELEASED: September 25, 2008

DANVILLE, KY—In recent years, Centre College has initiated numerous energy conservation projects and policies. President John Roush is one of four Kentucky college and university presidents to join forces in the creation of "Energizing Kentucky," an innovative partnership between the public and private institutions to stimulate the efforts of government, business and education leaders in creating a statewide energy policy. Roush is also a charter signatory and member of the Leadership Circle for the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).

In an effort to help make the campus community more environmentally conscious, ECCO (Environmentally Conscious Centre Organization) offers a number of tips for a greener Centre (and a greener world).

• Turn off lights when you leave an empty room.

• Take cooler showers, turning off the water when you are soaping up.

• Air/hang dry your clothes.

• Unplug unused appliances. TVs, VCRs and microwaves use power even when they aren't ''on."

• Don't leave your car idling. After ten seconds, turning off your engine saves more fuel than idling.

• Use Tupperware instead of Styrofoam. Plan ahead and take Tupperware with you to restaurants if you might want to take items to go.

• Use a coffee or travel mug when you go to a cafe.

• Take cloth bags to the grocery store instead of receiving plastic bags.

• Use only as much soap and or detergent as you need to clean to reduce the amount of phosphates in the watershed.

• Use nontoxic cleaning methods, such as baking soda, vinegar and lemon juice before turning to industrial alternatives. • Buy clothing from vintage stores, consignment shops, the Salvation Army and Goodwill.

• Be a responsible consumer. Know where the products you buy come from and how they were produced.

• Buy local and then organic.

Other Centre green initiatives include:

Green Fund
More than 80 percent of Centre College students recently voted for the adoption of a Green Fund, a proposed initiative that would require students to pay a $20 surcharge on their tuition to purchase renewable energy credits from the local Mother Ann Lee Hydroelectric Plant. Fundamentally, this would offset Centre's carbon emissions through the private funding of renewable energy sources, which is unprecedented in Kentucky by an educational institution. The proposal will soon go before the College's Board of Trustees for further consideration.

To-go containers
Styrofoam (a non-biodegradable material) used in Centre's dining facility has been replaced with the eco-friendly, biodegradable bagasse, the remaining biomass material of sugarcane stalks after they're crushed to extract the juice, making the more than 600 to-go containers used daily on campus environmentally friendly.

Lights
Centre recently launched an energy-saving campaign with compact fluorescent light bulbs. Going door-to-door through residence halls, members of the Environmentally Conscious Centre Organization (ECCO) offered students an eco-friendly light bulb in exchange for their incandescent light bulbs, which operate at a much higher wattage.

Electric transportation
The facilities management and public safety departments now use electric golf carts. In replacing gasoline vehicles used for on-campus hauling, the electric golf carts have helped to reduce Centre's carbon footprint.

Water conservation
Plumbing fixtures and fittings on Centre's campus are specified with water-saving features, including low-flow showerheads that are in every residence hall, including Pearl Hall, Centre's newest residence facility.

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Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Consumers Digest ranks Centre No. 1 in educational value among all U.S. liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/elevatorspeech/

For news archives go to http://www.centre.edu/web/news/newsarchive.html.