I go green because it is an easy, cost-efficient way to preserve our environment, sustain valuable resources, and encourage eco-friendly communities on a local and national level.

What has been your experience with Baylor Sustainability?

My experience with Baylor Sustainability was intellectually stimulating, intrinsically rewarding, and overall a lot of fun! Each day provided a new opportunity to learn and promote new and important facts that could benefit the Baylor campus and beyond. I found it was easy to take home and apply many of these to my own life.

What would you say to other students about going green at Baylor?

I would tell other students at Baylor that going green is much easier than typically thought; something as simple as turning off a computer monitor or taking the Baylor bus as an alternative to driving can potentially save hundreds of dollars per year. Going green saves green, requires little effort, and helps us serve as good stewards to the Earth that God has given us.

Low Impact Living

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Earth Day Network

Sustainable Dave

Latest News

The Chi Omega sorority and Baylor Sustainability worked together to make their recent social event, Chi Omega Crush, the first ever green Greek event held by a Baylor organization. Click here to read more!

Record Breaking Move-In
by Smith Getterman

Baylor's Sustainability efforts got off to a record breaking start with a very successful recycling effort during Move-In 2009. Thanks to the help of over thirty student volunteers from the Entrepreneurship ELG program and partners from departments all across Baylor's campus, 10.6 tons of recycling were collected in the two days of move-in.

Compared to efforts of last year, Baylor Sustainability was able to capture 3,000 extra pounds of recycling waste. That's 3,000 extra pounds that has been prevented from entering local landfills!

This record breaking move-in has helped Baylor have its most successful summer of recycling, ever. Even with the great success of 2009, improvements are already being looked at for Move-In 2010. Thanks to everyone that participated in Move-In 2009 for helping us make it as green as it can be!

What Is Baylor Sustainability?
by Christina Jeffrey

Baylor Sustainability is the premier campus department dedicated to the preservation of natural resources and the conservation of energy within our local environment. Ultimately, Sustainability aims to inspire the long-term maintenance of the Earth's wellbeing by promoting eco-friendly ways of life that ensure our surroundings with the capacity to endure. This maintenance includes finding new ways to use less energy, minimize waste, promote zero emission transportation, and utilize opportunities to recycle. Sound a little audacious? Don't worry, the Baylor Sustainability Department facilitates all of these efforts by bringing them to the most important person: You.

To make recycling easy, Baylor has over 700 green recycling containers scattered across campus that accept paper, aluminum cans, and plastic bottles. These recycling bins helped Baylor collect over 140,982 tons of recycling in the spring of 2009 alone. Baylor is also one of the few universities that recycle before, during, and after athletic events. This distribution of Baylor Bear pride both on and off the field has led to the collection of over 16,700 lbs of biodegradable products during sporting events, including over 267,200 individual plastic bottles. Baylor also participates in an annual, nation-wide recycling competition against other colleges and universities called Recyclemania. In spring 2009, Baylor University gathered over 86 tons of recyclable goods, surpassing the largest universities in Texas and placing third out of the Big XII.

When it comes to energy conservation, Baylor Sustainability hopes to promote eco-friendly ways of life through such concepts as "Last out, Lights out," turning off computer monitors when they're not in use, and choosing energy-efficient appliances in dorm life. Sustainability is always looking for new ways to save energy that is inexpensive and effortless, for both the individual and the institution. Be sure to turn off the light when you leave the room, unplug any unused appliances, and be more aware of your energy consumption. Every little bit helps!

Going green is a campus wide, collaborative effort so all suggestions and comments are welcome! If you'd like to share your ideas for ways Baylor can "go green" please feel free to send an email to Smith Getterman, Sustainability Coordinator.

Features

The Fall 2009 edition of Perspectives, Baylor University's newsletter for parents, features an article about Baylor's ever-improving recycling efforts. Click here to read it.

Fall Volunteer Opportunities

There are lots of ways to get involved with the campus sustainability efforts. Here is just a brief listing of some of the great ways you can volunteer your time to help the Baylor community "Go Green!"

Baylor Sustainability would like to extend a special thank you to the ladies of Tri Delta for volunteering their time to help make Baylor a greener place during the Nebraska game. Thank you Tri Delts!

Truett Seminary Earns International Environmental Certification

Baylor University has become the first university in Texas to earn a coveted environmental rating by meeting stringent standards set out by an international building council.

Baylor's George W. Truett Theological Seminary has been certified by the U.S. Green Building Council in its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program in the category for existing buildings.

The 66,000-square-foot structure also was only two points away from snaring a "silver" rating, a notch above certification, said Don Bagby, Baylor's director of facilities management. Buildings may earn additional points to achieve silver, gold or platinum status, he said.

"This is great," Bagby said. "To be so close to silver at our first shot was exciting, and also to be the first university to get the certification in the existing building category."

Truett is the fifth Texas building to get the LEED certification for existing buildings. Internationally, 235 buildings have earned the rating, said Ashley Katz, communications manager for the Washington-based council, a nonprofit organization.

In a separate category for new construction, 1,749 buildings internationally have earned certification, she said.

A LEED certification is more difficult for an existing building to earn than for a new structure, since many buildings now are built to be environmentally friendly and energy efficient, said Steve Guenther, associate vice president for operational excellence with ARAMARK Higher Education. ARAMARK, a Fortune 500 company, addresses issues of environmental stewardship and employee advocacy.

"The great thing about this was validating that good practices are already at Baylor," Guenther said.