 "Photo: Roland Tran/Poly Post")
Making greener choices can be as simple as flicking a switch, but some students are still unsure about the prices attached to eco-friendly choices.
In honor of Earth Day 2009, which is tomorrow, many campus organizations are helping students adapt to a greener lifestyle.
“We have to realize that energy is connected with every part of our lives,” said Paul Roberts, who spoke on campus about sustainability April 14.
Roberts is a journalist and author of “The End of Oil.” “If we are going to restart the [energy] revolution and not depend on the market, we’ve got to restart the debate in a new way.”
Planet-friendly events will be held throughout the week to encourage students to get informed, get involved and refresh the three Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle.
President Michael Ortiz will speak at today’s resource fair in the University Park, as part of three days of “Earth Week” activities sponsored by ASI and The Green Team.
Performances from Steel Parade and Sugar Mountain Mama Serenade will follow the keynote.
“The Arctic,” one of BBC’s “Planet Earth” documentaries, will be screening in the Bronco Student Center’s Centaurus room tonight at 6 p.m. with a follow-up lecture on global warming hosted by the Zoologists of Cal Poly and from Dr. Angel Valdes of the College of Science.
“Earth Week” concludes Thursday with a College of Environmental Design Career Day in Ursa Major and a barbecue on the Encinitas dormitory front lawn.
Students can bring old athletic shoes to the barbecue to support Nike’s Reuse-a-Shoe program and bring old electronic devices for Facilities e-waste collection.
“Everybody else’s trash is just our art supplies,” said Ashley Michioka, a fifth-year graphic design student. Michioka aspires to live greener, but like most students is cost conscious.
“I’m often up all night working on projects and the electricity bill was getting out of hand,” said Michioka. “Now I’m careful to unplug appliances and keep more lights off, and it saves me money.”
In his lecture, “Talking about a Revolution: Reframing the Public Debate over Energy Policy,” Roberts described how the market drives consumer behavior.
“When the price of a barrel of oil climbed so high last year ... big companies began investing in bio-fuel, solar, wind energy.”
However, he said the shift in behavior was brief.
“When the price of oil began to come down ... those green investments also slowed ... we need to talk about a way to keep [green behaviors] going.”
Michioka said he drove less when gas was pricey.
“The [high price of] gas absolutely affected my choices,” said Michioka.
But when gas got more affordable for students, green living went out like old laundry, and dirty driving habits crept back in.
“I did drive a bit more,” said Michioka.
Roberts is just one of the three speakers scheduled to focus on “Environmental Sustainability and its Challenges” as part of a series presented by the Hugh O. La Bounty Endowed Chair of Interdisciplinary Knowledge.
“The spring quarter presentations are intended to educate people about the issues ... and contribute to more extended conversations about the issues on campus,” says Victoria Bhavsar, program coordinator.
Hard-to-break habits like not switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs may seem expensive at first, but the eco investment will save the wallet, as well as the planet, in the long run.
Compact fluorescent bulbs are supposed to save $30 over a lifetime, using 75 percent less energy and lasting 10 times longer than a classic, incandescent bulb.
“Reduce, reuse, recycle,” said Jessica Ortega, a fourth-year fine arts student. “I get so mad when people throw out trash [and litter].”
For many, it’s time that little green light turned on.
“Its about the importance of saving the planet we all live on,” said Carly Clark, a fourth-year fine arts student.
Reach Teresa Jansen at news@thepolypost.com
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