The university is setting an example for us. For once, we can look at Ball State University without rolling our eyes and saying, "What were they thinking?"
Let's follow the university's lead with sustainability.
We hear all the time about the university's Strategic Plan by making all future buildings certified with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Seven departments offer sustainable courses, and the Freshman Connections book focuses on climate change.
Everyone has a role to play in reducing the energy we use. John Vann, associate professor of marketing, said people could make slight changes in heating and cooling, energy and water use.
For example, people could pay attention when they are using electricity. You don't have to have the television on all day.
Also, you can pay attention to using water. You don't have to take 30-minute showers.
Being conscious of the energy you use doesn't mean you have to make changes you won't benefit from. Let's think about our transportation. Don't even bother taking the car out and using expensive gas when there is a bike in the garage or shoes on your feet.
Surprisingly enough, your feet can take you anywhere if you walk, run or jog to your work every day.
We don't have to look at being green as the "in thing."
We can look at it as an investment and a money saver.
And imagine if we looked beyond the student body as a group of individuals and looked at us as a collective unit. A group of 18,000 strong.
The Muncie community would benefit from the less energy needed. The state, country and globe would benefit from our collective changes.
And this address isn't directed only to students, but to landlords as well. Landlords don't have to look at the cost of being green like being a patient in the dentist chair when they're more like the dentist.
Landlords can profit from making their buildings green. Once changes such as installation are implemented and solar panels are finished, the worth of the building will increase, and more profits can be made.
For now students can work with their landlords to make sure their apartment is as "green" as possible. All it takes is a student talking to the landlord about making the apartment more environmentally friendly. Not only will the student have a better apartment at that time, but also the landlord could tell future leasers the apartment is better and possibly charge $5 to $10 more per month for the improvements.
But even if some of you are skeptical about being environmentally conscious, what are these changes going to cost you other than a blow to your ego. After all, these changes will save you money in the long run, and money speaks volumes. Energy prices are rising and show no sign of stopping, so curtail those expenses save your money. Is that a bad thing?
In the end, being green saves green.
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