How "Green" is Your school?

Saving energy and going “Green” has been trend for public areas.

On the last Thursday, I walk around Riverside City College where I go to look for how the school is doing a green campaign.  

The campus has gone green because it uses the automatic system in the bathrooms, more recycling bins and provide transportation for students. In the Math and Science building, when going to the restroom the lights automatically turn on and off because the lights have a censor. When leaving the restroom, the lights turn off because the censor no longer senses a human. The bathroom also has automatic censors for the water and the paper towels. The water only turns on when the censor senses human hands. By having the automatic system it controls how much water is being used and how much electricity is being used. When someone is using a regular bathroom that has no automatic system uses more energy and water. When someone is washing their hands over the sink and turn on the faucet they keep the water running until they are done using it.

By having recycling bins around campus and the cafeteria it helps the environment and at the same students can say they help the campus become green. At the same time students can use full advantage of their tuition since the school provides transportation for them. Why waste mileage and gas when the school uses a small amount of tuition to provide free transportation. About 5 years ago, the school came up with the system because the school saw many students drive to campus and polluting the environment.

As I continue to walk around I could not find any sustainable effort in the classroom and grounds.

Lane Community College in Oregon, for example, has composters in its kitchens and holds clothing exchanges to reduce waste.

In Lane Community College in Oregon has found a way to reduce waste in the world. The school decided to have composters in order to turn food waste into manure. At the same time the school holds a clothing exchange that helps reduce the amount of trash clothing each year. By them having this exchange people get to meet other people and help the environment.

There are some restrooms still has not been changed to the automatic system. Currently, the school is changing some of the restrooms, but I do not know the process of which the school is doing them. In order for me to find out, I will go to interview Cynthia E. Azari, the chancellor of Riverside Community College District. I will ask her if it is okay to check the difference of a month bill of the building including water usage and electricity between the building having automated restrooms and non-automated restrooms. Also, to see how effect the change is I will create a simple survey containing age, year, and two questions asking the students how many times they use the restroom and if they believe if the automatic system works. Having this survey I will then sent it to Cynthia E. Azari to show her that this change is effective and should be used in all the schools.