Housing and Residence Life, (HRL) is working with the Student Government Association, (SGA) to reduce water usage in residence halls as part of their Blue Goes Green initiative.
Alyssa Futa, a freshman diplomacy major and someone directly involved with the campaign, shared details about a contest the two organizations are creating to see which residence hall can reduce the most water usage.
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SGA and HRL collaborate on Blue Goes Green initiative.
Aly Torres/Staff Photographer[/caption]
“The contest winner is going to be a building and its residents (i.e. Boland, Xavier, Ora, etc.). Though individuals may not be recognized, which is because it is very difficult to measure individual water usage, whichever building reduces their water usage the most is the winner,” Futa wrote in an email.
According to Futa, the winning building will be featured in a video that Seton Hall will use to show the conservation efforts and the steps being taken to reduce water usuage. This will show how the Seton Hall community is working together to help the environment.
Assistant Director of Residential Programs and Student Development, Jessica Proano, shared how the residence halls will do their part to participate in the contest and to achieve the ultimate goal of reducing SHU’s carbon footprint.
“We are helping SGA and the #BlueGoesGreen initiative in various ways,” Proano said. “I am working with Facilities to find out what the usage is, and HRL is advertising the contest. I will be sending out information about water usage throughout the contest and we are going to collaborate with EcoFest in April.
Students expressed their thoughts about the Blue Goes Green initiative and whether they think the residence halls will be able to reduce their water usage.
Sophomores Angela Cook, a diplomacy major and Chloe Manuncia, a graphic design major, live in Ora Manor, find that the initiative can be a great start.
“I think this is an important cause and I am glad it is getting attention,” Cook said. “Since we live in Ora, we use less water because once we get to campus, we’re here for the whole day.”
Manuncia added that something else to keep in mind is recycling.
“I remember that in Aquinas, people didn’t always recycle,” she said. “There are bins, but students sometimes would mix it. We have the same issue at Ora Manor.”
Both students mentioned that Ora Manor’s small physical size of 99 students already provides a smaller carbon footprint.
Zachary Trivelas, a freshman resident and occupational therapy major, finds that the effort is relevant for SHU’s campus, but that reducing water usage can be a challenge.
“I think Blue Goes Green is useful, not only here at SHU, but everywhere. It’s hard for people to adjust to not using as much water, so it’s hard to say how it will work, but it’s definitely needed. This is the world we’ll have in the future and we need to take care of it,” Trivelas said.
Futa shared tips for students to reduce water use.
“First, taking shorter showers is a great way to reduce water usage. Second, turning off the water when you are scrubbing dishes or when you aren’t brushing your teeth is a great way to conserve,” she said. “Third, for those who have plants in their rooms, collect the cold water that runs while you wait for the water to warm up. You can use this water for your plants so that it doesn’t waste.”
The campus-wide water conservation contest began on Feb. 15 and will end on April 13.
Kaitlyn Quinn can be reached at kaitlyn.quinn@student.shu.edu.
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