Suffolk has released its sustainability plan for 2012, an annual report in effort to become a more environmentally friendly campus.  Students may have noticed the increased number of recycling bins and double-sided printing—thank the Suffolk Sustainability Committee for this.

“The basic process is that the Sustainability Committee spent a few months identifying accomplishments, opportunities, priorities, and steps and compiled the 2012 plan,” said Erica Mattison, campus sustainability coordinator. “We shared it with administrators and published it on our website a couple months ago. We use the plan as a roadmap for advancing campus sustainability initiatives throughout the year. We are hard at work implementing several of the items in the plan. It is a collaborative process and involves many people throughout the university, including faculty, staff, and students.”

On this year’s agenda, Suffolk is tackling environmental concerns all over campus— from buildings and construction to transportation and dining halls.

The plan also disclosed some shocking facts.  For instance, in previous years the amount of students recycling was steadily increasing. Now those numbers are on the decline. Many students on campus may not be aware of the committee.

“Not having read the Sustainability Plan or heard of the Sustainability Committee, I am not aware of any of their current goals,” explained Matt Atwater, a Suffolk senior, “but I do notice posters more and more and it seems like more of my professors are pushing to use blackboard and buy ebooks.”
Some students may share the same goals, even if they haven’t been exposed to the committee.
“I recycle. Me and my roommates use energy-saving light bulbs, and my new thing is trying to eat organic foods and use organic skin care products,” said Carry Fisher.

As Mattison explained, any step forward in making the campus a more environmentally conscious one is a collaborative effort.  Students should take the time to educate themselves and get involved.“I’ve never read the Sustainability Plan, I’ve never even heard of it,” said Jacqueline Porter. “I think that’s great, though.  I always recycle when I can, plus I bring my own water bottle to class.”

The 2012 Sustainability Plan, which discusses goals and initiatives, student sustainability survey results, Suffolk environmental courses, and more.

“It’s definitely something I will look into,” Jacqueline continued, “I think more students should be aware of how they affect the environment and what they can do to reduce their carbon footprint.”