Is it worth it to save our planet?
This is the question that economics professor Dina Franceschi’s class is looking into: just how “green,” or environmentally friendly, Fairfield University is.
“The project is about identifying what we’re doing right as much as it is attempting to fix the things we’re doing wrong, while keeping in mind that the cost is the bottom line,” said Franceschi.
“The class is providing reports, which I believe will be more powerful because they’re coming from students,” she added. “This means other students will be more interested and the administration is more likely to hear it.”
The reports will focus on five different areas: alternative sources of energy for the campus; the waste and recycling programs that are or are not available on campus; the investment policies of Fairfield University; the vehicles used for campus operations; and the outreach steps that the university is taking to educate the broader community about environmentally friendly practices.
Many students said they think Fairfield needs to recycle more.
“I usually have to look for a recycle bin,” said Katie Chesney ’06. “I had no idea we had solar panels. Fairfield should really make use of them and more houses should have them.”
Mike Davis ’08 said the university should be looking at the long-term effects of environmental inaction.
“We have the social obligation to the conservation and sustainability of the environment,” Davis said. “The least we can do is start an effective recycling program.”
Franceschi said that universities are supposed to be on “the cutting edge” of ideas like these.
“We should be representative of future thinking,” she said. “Towns should look to the universities for this.”
Franceschi said Fairfield has almost the exact opposite situation.
The town of Fairfield has a 90 percent compliance rate for recycling, but Fairfield University only provides recycling for townhouse residents and in various trash receptacles around campus that are often misused by combining waste (non-recyclable garbage) and trash (recyclable garbage).
The townhouses may also be the only buildings on campus that use solar panels for energy.
In early 2000, 2,800 square feet of solar panels were installed on the roofs of the 10-block of the townhouses, which provide energy for the campus. But unfortunately, the costs are not deducted from those residents living there.
“I wasn’t even aware that there were panels here, but I think solar panels are a good idea and I don’t mind that they’re on my house at all, even if I’m not the one saving the money,” said Dan Fallon ’07, a resident of townhouse 106.
His housemate, John Gomes ’07, disagreed.
“Whatever money that’s made off of them should come out of our block’s bills directly,” said Gomes.
But money is always a factor when it comes to “green” issues, Franceschi said.
“It’s about economic feasibility and convenience,” said Franceschi.
Now that it’s economically feasible, the university is on the verge of providing a new form of powering the campus.
“Combined Heat and Power Plant (CHP) or co-generation is a process by which the University would produce its own electricity via a turbine,” said Associate Vice President for Campus Planning ‘ Operations Ric Taylor.
According to Taylor, the project has been in the works for seven years and is being implemented now because the university’s deal with their current electricity provider will soon expire and new rates would increase by 60 percent.
“To control these spiraling costs, the university is about to construct a CHP plant that is not only green, but will also save $1.2 million dollars in the 2007 fiscal year,” said Taylor.
But will saved costs help lower tuition?
“It’s too early to know,” Taylor said.
Rob Sullivan ’06 said he thinks Fairfield needs to be more aware of environmental concerns. He said he cannot find a place for apartment residents to recycle.
“But I think that it’s good that Fairfield is making an effort to be environmentally friendly,” Sullivan said.
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