Peter Caty/The Mirror
With the cold and dark winter months quickly approaching, there is one thing Fairfield students will not need to worry about: being left in the dark!
At all hours of the day, Fairfield is ablaze with light. While it is understandable that dorm hallways and bathrooms are constantly lit, the unnecessary lighting of vacant rooms and unused buildings has warranted negative attention. Some of these concerns are understandable; however, this important issue should be looked at from both perspectives.
Our campus already boasts environmentally friendly features that tremendously reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, but many hope that the issue of unnecessary lighting can be incorporated into future endeavors to further improve Fairfield’s carbon footprint.
Dr. David Downie, the Director of Fairfield’s Program on the Environment, represents both perspectives of this environmentally sensitive issue. He is the first to admit that, “while Fairfield has done a lot, it doesn’t mean there is not more to be done.” Not many students are aware that the heating, cooling and electricity on campus are provided by our own cogeneration plant. This method is much more efficient, providing over 95% of our power and producing only half of the greenhouse gases that our campus would be responsible for if these services were bought from an outside source.
While many believe the cogeneration plant and the geothermal system at the Jesuit residence shows Fairfield’s dedication to environmental issues, the lighting of the construction sites, library and the BCC leaves others doubtful.
LEAF, Fairfield’s environmental issues club, strives to find realistic solutions to energy problems. Their efforts have recently resulted in last month’s Farm-to-Chef Harvest week. Senior Gina Caldwell, the President of LEAF, shares the concerns of many over the excessive lighting in the library and the BCC at all hours of the day and night. While the typical response is that these lights are to assist the cleaning crews and for safety reasons, LEAF is in the process of working towards a suitable compromise.
Lights regulated by timers and motion sensors are an understandable option, but they prove to be costly alternatives in a year when our campus is clamoring with construction. Dr. Downie admits that while these other options are expensive, they will eventually save money, as well as electricity, over time.
Caldwell is also hopeful that a solution will eventually arise, as Fairfield has been responsive to the concerns of LEAF in the past. She recognizes past improvements, which include “lightless lunches, where the lights are off in the main cafeteria if there is enough external light to still let people dine in comfort.” Aside from an environmental standpoint, this issue takes on a new dimension when you consider how it represents our school.
The excessive number of streetlights welcoming visitors to Fairfield (there are 25 light posts down the center of Loyola Drive) and the constant lighting that shines from the library can also be interpreted as symbols of our school. Our pride is manifested in our appearance.
The numerous lights are in themselves environmentally friendly and conserve much less energy than typical lights. David Frassinelli, the Director of Facilities Management, explains that much of the excess lighting in the library is required by code. However, there are significantly fewer lights on over night than there have been in the past, and old bulbs are being replaced with LED lighting fixtures. This efficient alternative uses 97 watts instead of the typical 250, and the new fixtures ensure that the light shines down and does not contribute light pollution by illuminating the entire area.
Fairfield has made such dramatic improvements in terms of our energy use that the school will receive an EPA national award for Energy Efficiency in the coming weeks. While Fairfield is doing its part to reduce our carbon footprint, the students also play a large part in this issue. Flat screen TVs and microwaves should be unplugged over break to benefit both the appliances and to reduce our energy use. So here’s the bright idea: conserve energy, resources and our valuable tuition money, and do your part to help reduce our energy use!
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