Going Green-er

In today’s society, there is an emphasis on going green. People are trying to their part to aid the environment by using less resources and conserving the ones they already have. People use less electricity and energy, consume fewer raw materials, and recycle.

Lehigh University is trying to do its part by going green. But is it possible to go green-er? Lehigh seems to not be very efficient in their means of conserving resources and energy. One of these examples is the recycling program. Lehigh simplified recycling by using single stream recycling. However, the school has not clearly defined what single stream means. By single stream, everything that can be recycled goes into a single receptacle, instead of separate bins. But what is recyclable? Most people assume that everything that has the “triangle and number” symbol is recyclable, which in essence, can be. But that’s not all that can be placed in the bins. There is a lack of signage as to what can be placed in the bins. There is nothing saying that metals, like steel and aluminum, or paper products can be recycled in the school’s bins. Appropriate signs indicating what can go into the bins will help lessen the confusion. Another recycling option involves the Styrofoam take-out containers. There is a program that uses eco-friendly containers but what about students who frequently use the Styrofoam ones? Many recycling centers don’t accept Styrofoam into their mainstream sorting facilities. The containers can be recycled by special plants, but recycling for these containers is not found at the school. The same can be said for batteries. Another topic for discussion is energy production. The school leaves the lights on in buildings during the night. So how about a way to give some electricity back to the grid? On a visit to the Mountaintop Campus, there is a large grassy field on the crest of the hill that consistently has a wind blowing across it. One way of making use of the space would be cylindrical wind generators. These turbines are not much taller than a person and can capture wind from all directions.

Lehigh may be going green, but they could be going green-er. A larger, more defined recycling program would help define the school as a green facility. Couple it with power production and you have the basis for an eco-friendly facility.