{news} Colin Bennett drives green campaign at SCSU

[David Bedell]

This article is from the Conntact.com, the CT Business News Journal. For
more on the Sept 7 GreenExpo at Southern, see
http://www.ctfolk.com/nhff/greenexpo.html



http://www.conntact.com/article_page.lasso?id=41206

Southern Gets Greener

 Business New Haven
08/20/2007
by Felicia Hunter

NEW HAVEN - Partly in response to a group of students who have been pushing
for greater proactive measures to reduce Southern Connecticut State
University's carbon footprint, the school's president has agreed to sign a
pledge focusing on campus conservation efforts.

SCSU President Cheryl Norton is adding her name to a roster of what is now
more than 340 signatories supporting the American College & University
Presidents Climate Commitment.

"I think it's wonderful. It took a lot of hard work to get to this point,"
says SCSU graduate student Colin Bennett, coordinator of the Environmental
Futurists, a campus group committed to energy efficiency and conservation.
EF members have been urging Norton to sign the commitment for several
months, he says.

"Climate change and global warming is the most pressing issue of our time."

The document states concern for global warming and its "potential for
large-scale, adverse health, social, economic and ecological effects. We
further recognize the need to reduce the global emission of greenhouse gases
by 80 percent by mid-century at the latest," acknowledge signatories.
Specific goals are delineated, such as developing a comprehensive plan,
conducting an inventory of greenhouse emissions and purchasing Energy Star
products.

The pledge encourages colleges and universities to "take steps to reduce
global climate change and actually follow through with them," according to
Mary Reilly, program manager for Boston-based Second Nature, one of three
national organizations, along with a group of academics, that spearheading
the commitment last year. "Not only that, but it provides good education for
students" about sustainability solutions, Reilly adds.

The other organizational supporters are the Association for the Advancement
of Sustainability in Higher Education and ecoAmerica.

"Our signing this is yet another statement of commitment to being strong
stewards of the environment," says Ronald Herron, vice president for student
and university affairs at SCSU. He stresses this is merely the latest step
in "a long-standing effort of the university's focus on environmental
sustenance."

"We started years ago," says Robert Sheeley, Southern's associate vice
president for capital budgeting and facilities operations. Efforts, he says,
include installing an automated energy-management system for heating,
lighting and cooling in all buildings; energy-conserving "misers" on vending
machines; use of green cleaning products; extensive use of natural light in
new buildings such as the Adanti Student Center; switching to bio-diesel
fuel for shuttle buses this fall; creating a campus community garden in
conjunction with EF; and installing motion detectors in all buildings.

"If someone's on the first floor and the fourth-floor lights are on, that's
kind of a waste of energy," notes Sheeley. "We've done a host of other
things," he adds.

In September the university will host a GreenExpo and folk festival, says
Herron. "We're excited. We anticipate it will draw large numbers."

SCSU also has hired a part-time recycling coordinator, another step in the
right direction, says Bennett.

"Recycling at Southern leaves a lot to be desired," he says. Bennett lauds
the fact that the West Campus Residence Complex acquired green building
certification under the LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design)
program, but he also wants greater investment in renewable energy. In
addition, he would like to see creation of a "sustainability coordinator"
position whose "sole responsibility on campus is to make the university more
environmentally friendly." That person would report to a prospective
sustainability committee, Bennett says.

"What we'd like is a committee of faculty, staff and students," he says.