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Living green on campus
October 19, 2007
Six faculty members, 19 staff members, 59 students and 10 groups. Through the liveGREEN Pledge, all have promised to live a more sustainable lifestyle by taking small steps to lessen their impact on the environment.
The pledge, the brainchild of ASPLU vice president Tamara Power-Drutis (pictured), was born out of the Sustainability Fellowship she received this past summer. Awarded annually by the Sustainability Committee, the fellowship enables students to research ways to improve sustainability practices on campus.
Power-Drutis chose to focus her research on individual responsibility. The liveGREEN Pledge first has individuals, committees or organizations take responsibility for their actions that adversely impact the earth. Then they agree to take small, manageable steps to lessen that impact.
“There’s this big idea of sustainability, and it can be incredibly overwhelming,” Power-Drutis said.
In her research, she found that people who encounter big issues react in one of two ways: either, they lose hope and take no action, or they work hard and enact change. The distinguishing factor between these two reactions is the presence of a supportive community. If a person feels supported by others, they are more likely to work to enact change, she said.
Thus, the liveGREEN Pledge was born. It’s a community effort. Those who pledge must agree to make changes in five areas of their lives. These include reducing, reusing or recycling the waste they create, conserving energy, eating sustainably, becoming an eco-friendly traveler and experiencing sustainability as a member of the PLU community.
“We all can affect change in our personal life,” Power-Drutis said. “And we’re all working on similar steps.”
The little changes made by many people in each of the five categories will have a greater, more positive impact on the environment than huge changes made by a few, she explained. Plus, a larger group creates a community of people supporting one another and holding each other accountable.
News of the pledge is slowly spreading across campus through word of mouth. Power-Drutis chose not to launch an extensive advertising campaign about it because, once again, her research showed word of mouth was the best way to promote it. It allows a more personal approach, she explained.
While students are a target group to take the pledge, Power-Drutis said it’s more important for faculty and staff to sign on. Students may make up the majority of the campus community, but most are only around for four years. Faculty and staff, meanwhile, remain at PLU for longer stretches of time and make an impact every day in their interactions with students.
“Their impact is more. Faculty impact students through their courses,” she explained.
PLU isn’t breaking any new ground with the pledge. About 10 other universities and colleges have enacted similar public pledges. Most are simple statements. PLU and Harvard University’s are the only two that provide steps to lessen your impact on earth.
“We chose tangible steps by combining some general tips with the biggest areas affected, the areas where theses little steps had a big impact,” Power-Drutis explained.
The steps were important to include because they educate the individuals and groups who agree to live more sustainably how to do it, she said.
Senior Paige Dofton, who took the pledge, agrees the steps are valuable. As people fill out the form, they begin to realize what steps they already take and those that would be easy to incorporate.
Dofton said signing the pledge hasn’t involved many changes in her lifestyle. Most of the practices – recycling, walking instead of driving and buying local and organic food – are things she already does.
“I would love to see more people sign up,” Power-Drutis said. “There’s always room for more.”
University Communications staff writer Megan Haley compiled this report. Comments, questions, ideas? Please contact her at ext. 8691 or at haleymk@plu.edu.
Power-Drutis chose to focus her research on individual responsibility. The liveGREEN Pledge first has individuals, committees or organizations take responsibility for their actions that adversely impact the earth. Then they agree to take small, manageable steps to lessen that impact.
“There’s this big idea of sustainability, and it can be incredibly overwhelming,” Power-Drutis said.
In her research, she found that people who encounter big issues react in one of two ways: either, they lose hope and take no action, or they work hard and enact change. The distinguishing factor between these two reactions is the presence of a supportive community. If a person feels supported by others, they are more likely to work to enact change, she said.
Thus, the liveGREEN Pledge was born. It’s a community effort. Those who pledge must agree to make changes in five areas of their lives. These include reducing, reusing or recycling the waste they create, conserving energy, eating sustainably, becoming an eco-friendly traveler and experiencing sustainability as a member of the PLU community.
“We all can affect change in our personal life,” Power-Drutis said. “And we’re all working on similar steps.”
The little changes made by many people in each of the five categories will have a greater, more positive impact on the environment than huge changes made by a few, she explained. Plus, a larger group creates a community of people supporting one another and holding each other accountable.
News of the pledge is slowly spreading across campus through word of mouth. Power-Drutis chose not to launch an extensive advertising campaign about it because, once again, her research showed word of mouth was the best way to promote it. It allows a more personal approach, she explained.
While students are a target group to take the pledge, Power-Drutis said it’s more important for faculty and staff to sign on. Students may make up the majority of the campus community, but most are only around for four years. Faculty and staff, meanwhile, remain at PLU for longer stretches of time and make an impact every day in their interactions with students.
“Their impact is more. Faculty impact students through their courses,” she explained.
PLU isn’t breaking any new ground with the pledge. About 10 other universities and colleges have enacted similar public pledges. Most are simple statements. PLU and Harvard University’s are the only two that provide steps to lessen your impact on earth.
“We chose tangible steps by combining some general tips with the biggest areas affected, the areas where theses little steps had a big impact,” Power-Drutis explained.
The steps were important to include because they educate the individuals and groups who agree to live more sustainably how to do it, she said.
Senior Paige Dofton, who took the pledge, agrees the steps are valuable. As people fill out the form, they begin to realize what steps they already take and those that would be easy to incorporate.
Dofton said signing the pledge hasn’t involved many changes in her lifestyle. Most of the practices – recycling, walking instead of driving and buying local and organic food – are things she already does.
“I would love to see more people sign up,” Power-Drutis said. “There’s always room for more.”
University Communications staff writer Megan Haley compiled this report. Comments, questions, ideas? Please contact her at ext. 8691 or at haleymk@plu.edu.