SUSTAINING OUR OWN CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT

Our Own Sustainable Environment

   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.

   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 end Earth Week, this past Saturday, 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.”

   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.