EcoReps help make halls environmentally friendly

Deirdre Manning, director of sustainability, has announced a new program to appoint EcoReps for every residence hall on campus. She is looking for students concerned about environmental issues to "raise awareness about the importance of energy conservation, recycling, and other sustainable activities."

"We're looking for people to help us spread the word about environmental issues," Manning said.

The students will be responsible for two to three hours a week of planned activities, but most of their responsibilities will be unplanned. "A lot of what they would do would probably just be in passing," Manning said. "As they are going about their lives, they'll be more attuned and will see these things." The EcoReps will be aware of energy-consumption issues and proper recycling practices, and so will be able to spot areas where efficiency can be improved.

"Each residence hall would have a designated person to serve as a resource for students, post conservation and recycling signage, help RA's with programming, and look for waste, such as leaking faucets, running toilets, open windows, and instances of overheating and taking action by closing windows and submitting work orders to reduce waste," Manning said. "The time commitment would be two to three hours per week, though more time may be needed to assist with the energy conservation contest and Recycle Mania."

The idea for these EcoReps came to Manning over the summer. "I talked to our recycling vendor last year about how to increase our recycling rate, and he suggested that peer-to-peer education would be the best way," she said. So far, response has been limited. Manning said that she sent out e-mails on the SustainBC, EcoPledge, and Real Food BC listservs, and that of last evening she had received about six responses from students interested in becoming EcoReps. She would like, ultimately, to have at least one per residence hall.

"We're not quite sure what the interest will be," Manning said. "We're expecting to get more benefit from the underclassmen areas."

Manning has been working with Cecilia McDonald, Emily Pierce, and Emily Luksha, all A&S '10, to implement the EcoRep program. Luksha, who also works as EcoPledge treasurer, said that she worked with Manning over the summer collecting data on BC's carbon footprint. She will work with the EcoReps to organize their activities in residence halls. "I hope they increase awareness about what you can do in the residence halls," Luksha said, "by going door-to-door, making it more visible, and putting in work orders."

Students interested in becoming EcoReps should contact Deirdre Manning, director of sustainability.