Kathleen Moore, the director of sustainability, is passionate about making a positive impact on campus and beyond. She said that since ETSU is a large school, it has a large carbon footprint—which means a negative impact on the environment.
“Sustainability is using just what you need now to fulfill your needs,” said Moore.
Saving resources for future generations is an essential part of sustainability, or “earth stewardship.”
To promote this idea, Moore ensures the buildings on campus are using resources efficiently. Some of these changes can be as simple as changing the type of lights in a building or recycling more often. Moore wants to make sustainability something doable and accessible to everyone. She wants to empower students to make a change.
For the next two years, the Department of Sustainability’s focus rests on climate change. This program is called Project Drawdown, and Moore is hopeful it will make a big impact.
“You know, this is a serious thing,” said Moore. “It’s real, it’s happening, but there are solutions … Recycling is not enough. We need something bigger now.”
To help make ETSU a little greener, each student pays a $7 sustainability fee as part of their tuition. With the help of that fee, the department installed two new solar charging tables for students. One is between Gilbreath and Nicks Hall, and the other is by Subway near the parking garage.
The department, along with the EcoNuts, have several events and service opportunities available throughout the year. They host events like creek and trail cleanups, show films and host panels featuring sustainability experts. October is sustainability month, and there’s even an alternative fall break option for students who are eager to lend a hand.
Soon, the department will send out emails looking for student ideas on how to make the campus more environmentally friendly. Moore wants to know the students’ views on what the department’s focus should be and where the money should go.
For more information on how to get involved, visit etsu.edu/sustainability or email gogreen@etsu.edu to see an event calendar and to sign up for weekly emails.
