SUSTAINING OUR OWN CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT

   Green is the new black. We are seeing a flood of the environmental movement across the nation, especially among college campuses. Our own Iona campus is among many other colleges across the Hudson Valley, leading the way into a “greener”, more sustainable college lifestyle. Iona College is definitely ‘C-ing’ green with the help of our very own IC Green Club, Environmental Concerns Committee (ECC) and campus facilities. Over the past few years, these members of the Iona community have made it their mission to raise awareness and create a more eco-friendly campus.

   One of Iona's first steps to becoming more environmentally conscious began with spreading recycling bins throughout campus. The ECC and IC Green worked alongside facilities to promote the widespread recycling of bottles, cans, glass, waste oils, computer parts, light bulbs, batteries, cardboard and white paper.

   Dr. Fredrica Rudell, Department Chair of Marketing, and ECC, served as the pioneer on campus, giving the college the extra push it needed to get the college community involved. From 2001 to 2002, the campus-wide Paper Conservation Campaign was launched, focusing on the reduction of paper use through unnecessary and accidental printing and copying. In 2008, the committee worked with the Information Technology Department, in order, to start double-sided printing.

   Ryan Library has also been constructed to be more "green." The construction, which was completed last semester, followed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, a guide for sustainability. It was built to create the smallest impact on the environment. Older boilers were removed, recycled, and replaced with high efficiency units that can run on either oil or natural gas. Natural light was also utilized with the large skylight. But, our community’s leaders are not stopping there.

   “We are consistently looking for new ways to save on energy or to be more environmentally friendly,” says Facilities Director, Mark Murphy. They are currently working with Con Edison and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to change the light fixtures in the parking garage, which could save up to 40% on electricity use. Facilities will also do an audit on all buildings to see where the Con Edison and NYSERDA incentive program to lower energy use can be implemented.

   Iona College has also been honored by The Princeton Review along with 285 other colleges, for their environmental efforts. The Princeton Review's 2010 Guide to Green has included Iona as one of the nation's top ranked green colleges. "It is quite an honor for Iona College to not only be recognized by The Princeton Review for our commitment to creating a green campus but to be ranked alongside the nation's preeminent universities for this achievement. We are particularly pleased because, as a Catholic, Christian Brothers' college, we are called upon through Catholic social teaching to be good stewards of our earth," said Dr. Warren Rosenberg, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs of Iona College.

   The IC Green Club is also drawing in the Iona community through the events held on campus. They organize events in hopes of helping their fellow students realize the impact of their actions on the environment. To semester, they hosted their 3rd Annual Lights Out event. "It’s a great opportunity to get the Iona community more aware and still have fun with the lights out," says IC Green Club president, Vincent Sorrentino. “It has to be shown how easy energy conservation can be.”

   In honor of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22nd, 2010, Iona chose to utilize a whole week from April 18 to 24, in order to raise awareness to the Iona community. The Green Generation Campaign will be the focus of Earth Day 2010, focusing on the core principles of a carbon-free future based on renewable energy, an individual’s commitment to responsible, sustainable consumption, and the creation of a new green economy that lifts people out of poverty by creating millions of quality green jobs and transforms the global education system into a green one.

   Iona is doing its part to get the word out. To start off Earth Day week, Iona started off with Hands Around Iona, which was a fundraiser run by the Tara Knights Society to raise money for a Sierra Leone water-supply projects overseen by the Christian Brothers. An Earth Day Celebration followed with a presentation and trivia contest to promote sustainability and Earth-friendly living. Earth Day was celebrated with a “Respect/Reduce/Re-Use/Recycle” topic. Munyaradzi Chenje from United Nations Environment Programme UNEP, was Iona’s special guest speaker for the evening. Mr. Chenje addressed the impact of the environmental crisis on human security in southern Africa and around the globe. “It was a good end to a green day,” says Sorrentino.

   But, recycling still remains to be a major problem at Iona. Many students have failed to utilize the bins the proper way, according to Sorrentino. “You go into LaPenta and you still see garbage in the recycling bins.” They hope to make recycling on campus more efficient and user-friendly, and encourage a reduction in energy consumption.

   The Green Movement has certainly spread nationwide, especially throughout college campuses. Students are actually looking at sustainability when they are looking at college options. “Our primary goal is to enlighten the college community on the easy things that can be done to reduce our wasteful actions and benefit our plant. By helping us become more sustainable, it makes Iona more desirable overall,” Sorrentino.