The Need
Many students live on campus for at least part of their college years. Together, these students use a vast amount of resources—water, heat, electricity, food and more—and they create a huge amount of trash and other waste. Because many dormitory residents are new to living on their own, this is an excellent opportunity to teach them how to develop habits that conserve resources. The habits that students develop in college could last a lifetime.
The Talloires Declaration of environmental sustainability in higher education states that "Universities educate most of the people who develop and manage society's institutions. For this reason, universities bear profound responsibilities to increase the awareness, knowledge, technologies and tools to create an environmentally sustainable future."45
Many universities have not yet incorporated climate change and sustainability into their curricula. It is critical that students—tomorrow's leaders—learn how to make sustainable choices in their daily lives. Creating a green living program (GLP) is one way to offer that educational opportunity. It also creates the following:
- strong, dynamic partnerships between staff and student leaders
- the opportunity for administrators to address climate change and other environmental issues
- financial savings through waste reduction and conservation of resources, such as water and energy
- a community of support for environmental initiatives
- sustainable habits and decision-making skills that students may keep throughout their lives and use in their roles as future leaders
Creating a student-staff partnership through a GLP creates a way for both parties to address each other’s needs. Staff provide accountability, institutional memory and logistical support, while students offer insight into the cultural landscape on campus and are adept at reaching out to their peers.