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SGA to consider campus Climate Action Plan

Published on November 17, 2009 by Caitlyn Newmeyer

Robert Paul, director of Sustainability, will present the Climate Action Plan (CAP) to the Student Government Association (SGA) Nov. 19.

CAP is a set of tentative plans and suggestions designed to help make KSU a more sustainable campus.

CAP is in partial fulfillment of KSU’s membership to American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, an organization that strives to help colleges and universities address global warming issues.

The plan is broken into five parts: transportation, utilities, solid waste and recycling, land use and education.

Transportation is a major element of the plan. CAP stresses the need for alternative sources of transportation for off-campus and commuter students.

“KSU has a growing number of residential students, but we still have a primarily commuter campus,” said Paul.

“Our biggest impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions is due to student, faculty and staff commuting, and for the most part, we arrive in single-occupancy vehicles. Our participation in carpools is minimal; our access to effective public transportation is negligible.”

The plan suggests that KSU implement a shuttle bus service to reduce the number of single-occupancy vehicles on campus. KSU hopes to implement the shuttle bus service in 2011.

Four aspects of CAP have already taken effect: “Retro-commissioning,” LEED-Certified Buildings, Energy Star Purchasing Policy and energy efficient lighting in the North Deck.

“Retro-commissioning” is the restoration of energy-using controls such as heating and air systems in older buildings.

LEED-Certification is given to buildings that meet a certain level of sustainability criteria. The Social Sciences Building is currently LEED-Certified.

Energy Star Purchasing Policy is a policy that encourages students, faculty and staff to purchase energy star appliances to become energy efficient.

According to Michael Sanseviro, a member of the KSU Climate Commitment Council, education is the next part of the plan to take effect.

“I think the most important thing that we need to do first and foremost is education,” said Sanseviro.

CAP suggests that KSU seek grants to fund workshops and events to promote sustainability education in 2010.

It also suggests setting up programs and focus groups for resident assistants and student leaders in order to promote sustainability efforts such as recycling.

KSU currently has “Why Recycle” courses and a Sustainability Across the Curriculum intiative to help educate its community.

“The students will take that education back to their communities, to their parents, to their churches and to their siblings. Eventually when they have families of their own, they will educate their families,” said Sanseviro.

Paul encourages students to become a part of CAP by joining the Environmental Alliance, an organization that advocates sustainability.

“At KSU and I suspect at most universities, students can be the most effective agents of change-in part because of sheer numbers, but also because students are our society’s future,” said Paul.