Written by Samantha Holschbach
Recycling at Harding is increasing both in output and convenience, according to the Environmental Stewardship Committee, which met Tuesday to discuss eco-friendly activities on campus.
To date, 100,507 pounds of material have been recycled within the past three months. By the school year’s end, the committee hopes at least 250,000 pounds of material will have been recycled on campus.
“The goal is to double what we did last year,” said Greg Tatera, director of Aramark’s building services.
Recycling containers have recently been placed in classrooms within the Reynolds Music and Communication Center, Mabee Business Building, Ezell Building, Thornton Education Center and American Studies Building. In October alone, 201 items have been donated to various organizations around Searcy that would have otherwise filled landfills.
Additional bike racks have been placed around campus to accommodate this year’s influx of bikes. Twenty bike racks have been approved for use since September. Each campus building requesting a bike rack will pay for it as a means of diffusing the total bike rack cost across departments.
“There has never been a bike rack at the Rhodes [Field House],” Tatera said. “Provide it, and they will park.”
Harding’s Physical Resources Department has started retrofitting some light fixtures with bulbs harboring an electronic control, which makes electricity flow through the bulb and fixture more efficiently. The department plans to gradually incorporate T5 florescent tubes, currently the most energy-efficient tube, into lighting fixtures. All buildings save the Reynolds Music and Communication Center contain T8 florescent tubes.
Christmas lights are progressively filling front lawn trees. Since these lights are LED bulbs, perhaps the most efficient lighting system, they use minimal energy, and ball lights are turned off to preserve more energy when all Christmas lights are displayed.
The committee discussed the possibility of purchasing a more energy-efficient way to fuel Public Safety’s fleet of hybrid vehicles. If a $40,000 natural gas fueling station were purchased, it would cost between $3,000 and $4,000 to retrofit vehicles. The committee will explore purchasing options that may reduce these costs.
Harding’s eco-friendly actions may soon be reported on Harding’s Web site. The committee’s goal is to have the Web site information debut on National Recycling Day, Nov. 15.
Though the Physical Resources Department does not plan to build according to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards, it may develop its own standardized means of building with the environment in mind.
“I would like to see standards as to how our buildings are built,” Amy Cox, professor of interior design, said. “If we had those standards, it would almost be like we had our own LEED design.”
Moreover, Harding may participate in Recyclemania between Jan. 17 and March 27. Recyclemania is a nationwide competition among universities to be as earth-minded as possible. The universities deemed the best at recycling, minimizing waste and other green actions will be given awards.
As Harding reduces its footprint upon the environment, committee members stress that it is often the seemingly insignificant practices — like personally resolving to recycle soda bottles — that can cumulatively improve the environment. Every eco-minded action counts.
