It has been said a thousand times over and shown in who knows how many different ways, yet it still doesn’t seem to be heard. We, as college students and a nation, need to start doing something about our carbon impact on the world today.
With gas prices rising and supposedly reaching a new high of $4 next month, it’s time to realize that we can’t rely on our fossil fuels.
The first step is to step back from what we’re using already.
I am currently living in a dorm with ‘all the luxuries,’ from what residential life has told me in pamphlets.
I’m able to control my own room temperature, I have a low water pressure shower and sink that are supposed to decrease the amount of water typically used and I have energy efficient lighting so my electricity won’t cost as much.
With all these luxuries it should also be stated that with lower water pressure, the shower takes longer. And even with reminders, somehow there is always at least one light left on all day and night in the suite that I share with three other people.
Dudley Greeley, the sustainability coordinator here at USM, told me in an interview that if the entire campus makes an effort to cut down on the use of our energy we can actually have an impact on our bills, as well as the environment.
If we make sure to turn off all the lights and unplug items that are not being used, then we can, as a whole, cut down the electric bill by as much as a quarter of a million dollars.
USM already pays $2 million each year on electricity, and it’s only going to keep rising if we don’t listen to what our advisors and faculty are telling us.
The biggest issue that hits home for everyone living on campus is the heat. It’s hot in a lot of the dorms. No matter your intentions, it’s difficult to be comfortable in a room where it feels like a sauna.
But, Greeley would like to remind us, “leaving the windows open during the winter season equals big bucks.”
The solution? Keep the windows closed! If its unbearable, turn a fan on and circulate the air. When it feels a bit more comfortable, turn it off (and be sure to unplug it).
For those residents who live in New Hall and Philippi, it is possible to turn the heat on long enough to get the room to a temperate climate and then turn it off.
Another alternative is keeping the curtains open during the day time, which lets in all the sunlight and heat. When the sun sets, simply close the curtains, and that heat will stay longer.
By doing this we can save so much money. I know it’s hard readjusting to a lifestyle that we’ve grown up with and have become accustomed to, but there comes a point at which all of us need to choose how we want to be living in the next 20 years.
I’ve started to make my changes by taking the step to turn off a light that I see left on, taking fewer, shorter showers and wrapping up in a blanket instead of turning on the heat.
But I can’t lower the bill all by myself. We all need to put in the extra effort and actually do something instead of not listening.
These things are going to affect how we all live in the future, both environmentally, and economically.