Greening Higher Education?

Posted by A. Caleb Hartley on June 23rd, 2008 filed in education

When I was in college (I won’t say when so as to avoid my own shock when I proof this post), I bought a discounted book at the campus bookstore that was all about how to reduce the environmental impact of college campuses. It was a great book, full of examples of colleges that were already doing many of the things that the book suggested. I don’t remember the title of the book, but I think I still have it. I’ll update this post if/when I happen to stumble by it again.

One of the recommendations I remember most was about student housing. As a Resident Advisor, I was very interested in this aspect of a campus’s eco-footprint, and the suggestions was incredibly simple: change out incandescent light bulbs for new-fangled compact fluorescents in dorm-rooms and classrooms, and anywhere energy-sucking incandescents could be found.

Today, I think that’s a no-brainer, but I’ll bet there are still lots and lots of colleges and other schools that have not done even this simple step. Shame on them.

Something I hadn’t thought about, though - at least from a specifically environmental perspective - is the relative environmental impact of e-learning compared to conventional college courses.

I received an email from new blogger Ruth Sylvia in early May about a post she had just recently finished about this very subject - Online Learning is Green - and I marked it to come back to later, when I had more time. It was then promptly lost in the black hole of information that is my email (currently set at more then 700 unread emails in my inbox - most of which are trash, I’m sure).

I’ve been trying to reduce the info-sucking quotient of my inbox by digging through and cleaning up, and today I happened by Ruth’s email once again. I took the time to read the above article, and I liked the idea the online learning is more environmentally-friendly than traditional learning. My campus specifically was probably 75% commuter students, meaning that thise learners drove to campus every day, and then drove back home after classes were over. Traffic, parking, and pollution heavy. More then once I feared for my life when crossing the street or walking to the business school building, which was not on campus “proper,” but located in the surrounding city.

I’d never talk down traditional education; I think that College campuses are by far one of the more beautiful, well-cared, picturesque communities in any neighborhood that is lucky enough to have one located in or near it. But in lieu of commuting to a physical campus, if you are unwilling or unable to live on campus as a student, may I suggest looking into online courses? Save yourself some money on gas, and help save the Earth every day you don’t drive in!

Namaste,
A. Caleb Hartley

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Did you commute to campus? Does your child or sibling? Did you live on campus? Were you an online learner? What did/does your campus do to reduce it’s impact? Answer all these questions and more in the comments!

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