Students hope sustainability ‘sinks in’ with peers

Students lined up to exchange light bulbs in the multi-purpose room of the Castleton State College Campus Center on Feb. 28. The light bulb exchange was just one event during Sustainability Day, and was accompanied by a Soundings event and a conservation of energy effort at Huden Dining Hall.

The entire day of events was organized by members of the Castleton Sustainability Club and the Green Campus Initiative.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. students were encouraged to bring their incandescent bulbs and receive a compact florescent light bulb. CFL bulbs use less energy and also have a longer life expectancy. The light bulb trade-in station was adorned with student made posters explaining everything from global awareness biodiesel fuel.

“Sustainability is all about your life. It’s not something you can do once, it’s a way of life,” said GCI member Sarah O’neill.

A lecture hosted by Dr. John Peterson Myers started at noon and informed students about environmental health. At one point in the lecture, Myers asked an audience member for their Nalgene bottle. He then explained how dangerous toxins seep into the liquid inside the bottle. He also discussed the future of our environment, and the steps we need to take in order to keep our world green.

When lunch time rolled around, the doors to Huden were opened up, and things appeared to be very different than usual.

The dining hall ran lunch and dinner without lights, trays, and with a reduction of cups. Green Campus Initiative Coordinator and Castleton grad Natalie Brassill played a big role in the organization process for the day. She spoke passionately about what students should be doing on campus to promote awareness.

“It’s the little things we hope students change, like shutting off the lights when they leave the room, using a mug instead of a disposable cup, recycling, just more global awareness,” Brassill said. “What a lot of people overlook, is that even though it’s the school’s electricity and energy, we still need to play our part in reducing it.”

The mission of the day was to spread knowledge to anyone on campus to promote a more sustainable way of life, whether it be just remembering to throw a can in the proper recycling bin, or learning to be more conservative with the energy being used.

“I hope the information sinks in. This is our future,” said Sam Esser, a freshman on campus.

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