http://www.jmu.edu/stewardship/involved.html

James Madison University - Index

James Madison University - Madison Magazine - Summer 2009 - Index

Be JMU ‘eco-WISE’
Individual actions support a sustainable future
BY CHRISTIE-JOY “C.J.” BRODRICK HARTMAN
Q&A
HARTMAN: … and I said, “How has this
changed your behavior?” Our volunteers
reported their roommates were now recycling
and minimizing waste. The experience
really affected the other people our students
come in contact with. They talked
about how they shared their trash sort experience
at the family Thanksgiving dinner and
got their family members to participate.
BOLGIANO: That leads naturally into a
discussion about food, which is one of society’s
greatest energy expenditures. How
does the institute approach food issues?
Remember Kermit the Frog’s lamentation
(circa 1970s): “It’s not
easy being green.” Although today’s
green, which symbolizes environmental
consciousness, differs from
Kermit’s reference, the statement,
“It’s not easy being green,” is applicable to
today’s environmental challenges. Population
growth, climate change and fossil fuel
consumption are among myriad factors that
necessitate we re-examine, and perhaps reinvent,
our approach to fundamental systems
such as energy. Despite the frequent headlines
we read, “Ten tips to save the Earth
in five minutes a day,” Thomas Friedman
is correct in his national bestseller, Hot, Flat
and Crowded: “There is no easy button we
can press to make the world green.”
Given the magnitude of the changes
needed, it can be unclear what impact individual
actions can have. For an example of
the large-scale cumulative effects of individual
actions, let’s look at bottled water. In the
1970s, “bottled water” meant a water-filled
thermos. Three decades later, billions of dollars
flow through the bottled water industry.
WAYS YOU CAN BE JMU ECO-WISE:
“In 2006, the equivalent of 2 billion half-liter
bottles of water were shipped to U.S. ports.
... Only about 13 percent of the bottles we
use get recycled. In 2005, 2 million tons of
plastic water bottles ended up clogging landfills
instead of getting recycled,” according to
the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Relatively simple measures by individuals
can have a positive impact and contribute
directly to a healthier people and
planet. The challenge is that what “green” is
can be elusive. For example, organic T-shirts
are popular. But what is the balance of effect
if those are made under unfair trade standards
and shipped from overseas creating
emissions and fossil fuel consumption?
The answers are not simple.
JMU’s environmental stewardship effort
specifically focuses on environmental literacy,
critical thinking and personal behavior
change. We strive to be “eco-WISE:” wary,
investigative and scientific in our approach,
and environmental stewards in our actions.
Individual actions, like those below, support
large-scale, fundamental changes that
are needed to ensure a sustainable future. M
■ Conserve energy. Manage your energy use by turning off and unplugging small appliances,
upgrade heating and cooling systems, change the thermostat a few degrees, seal and insulate
your home, and consider renewable energy systems. Take advantage of energy tax-credits.
■ Preserve natural resources, including water and ecosystems. Practice water conservation.
Minimize chemical use, especially in your yard. Compost food and yard waste.
■ Buy locally produced products. Purchase foods from local farms. Consider the life cycle of
manufactured products, including production, transportation and disposal effects.
■ Minimize materials consumption and effects. Practice the five R’s: rethink, repair, reduce, reuse
and recycle. Use reusable items versus disposables.
■ Walk or bicycle; use public transit or carpool. Purchase a fuel-efficient vehicle.
■ Challenge yourself and others to learn more at www.jmu.edu/stewardship/involved.html.
✱ Members of the Institute for Stewardship of the Natural World Executive Council contributed to
this article: Jerry Benson, Randy Mitchell, Mack Moore, Towana Moore and Susan Wheeler.
HARTMAN: One of the successes at JMU
is the environmental efforts of our dining
services. The waste oil is converted
into biodiesel fuel. Dining services went
tray-less the beginning of this year to save
wash water and energy. JMU is looking at
composting and several of the dining halls
already have pulpers, but unlike the composting
I do in my backyard, this is a large
endeavor for a campus to compost all its
food waste. So we’re probably looking at
a model similar to what they’re doing with
the waste oil, which is an external company
processing it.
THOMAS: I really love the stickers in the
dining halls that say, “The oil used to fry
your food will be made into biodiesel.” It’s
cool to hear people talking about it in line.
HARTMAN: One of the most interesting
dining advances this year was a farmer’s
market on campus once each semester. The
dining hall already buys 200 locally grown
products. Also, the new east campus dining
hall is our first LEED-certified building [Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design
green building rating system].
THOMAS: I use the campus farmer’s market
and really enjoy the fresh fruits and vegetables.
Learning about sustainability has
definitely made me stop and think. If I have
a choice between two different oranges, I’m
going to pick the oranges grown a little bit
closer rather than down in South America.
BOLGIANO: Reducing energy use — like eating
local foods instead of those transported long
distances — has become a major national strategy.
How does the institute approach this issue?
HARTMAN: We will recommend targets,
establish benchmarks and work closely with
facilities management staff, who have historically
been progressive, to implement
specific actions. Facilities management
already mulches and reuses about 90 percent
of campus plant material; very rarely
does it get bagged up to leave campus.
There are timers on many lights, and they
have low-energy lighting.
One of the most interesting new things
JMU has installed is a Web-based system
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