The dawn of the new school year has brought with it a corps of fresh-faced ideas and initiatives aimed at making colleges and universities cleaner and greener. And, like any freshman class, they are all beaming with potential: Most will succeed, a handful will excel, and a few will end up disappointing their parents. The greening of academe is nothing new, but it seems to have taken root in a big way. Today, it’s not just about doing a few good, green things — recycling, buying green energy, building green buildings, and all the rest — and it’s not just about saving money or being seen as a good neighbor. It’s about being seen as a sustainability leader in order to attract students, funding, and media attention. As a result, in a growing number of Universities, “green” has become the Big Meme on Campus. But getting colleges and universities to make the grade as environmental leaders is no slam dunk. Like their corporate counterparts, schools face a variety of challenges and barriers, from a lack of top-level commitment, to institutional inertia, to a dearth of answers to the seemingly simple question “How good is ‘good enough’?”
Shoolini University being the first Bio-tech university in India is proud to boast of a green campus and socially responsible students. A leader in the field of energy conservation and recycling, Shoolini University teaches by example. The University is in the forefront of developing programs and policies that will ensure an environmentally friendly and fuel efficient environment. Shoolini University is passionate about reducing its ecological footprint.
With a strong environmental flavor to its courses already, it’s no wonder that Shoolini University is embracing the Green Campus label with such enthusiasm.
Special solar water heaters have been installed in the hostels, to maximize the ‘hot’ tap when hundreds of students are vying for a shower, and energy-saving light bulbs are standard. Working with the campus maintenance teams, the grounds staff takes note when energy is being wasted and is quick to find solutions.
Among the programs set up by Shoolini University is an education program, where the university students and teachers have created a gardening area made with recycled materials: “It’s not only teaching awareness,” says Prof. P. K. Khosla(Chairman – Shoolini University), “but understanding about environmental issues.”
Shoolini University green initiatives are a good example of how you can take leadership on the management level, and create a budget for improving issues. The students constantly work with various departments to implement energy saving program.
An average computer uses about 100 watts per hour while completely powered up. When kept on for a full year, that computer will send 750 pounds of carbon dioxide into the air or what is”the equivalent of driving 820 miles in the average, therefore by following simple step such as powering down the computer when students aren’t using them, the university saves operating costs and the environment.
Today’s students will lead business and all of the country to energy efficiency and reductions in greenhouse gas contributions not only because it saves money, a commodity not many have these days, but because it is the right thing to do. Shoolini University students are green because being green is mature, intelligent, responsible behavior and because this generation wants a healthy world waiting for their grand kids when they hit the college years.
SocialVibe