by Alyssa Wood >  George Washington University   photos > Anne Wernikoff and Zain Shariff

College campuses are looking a lot greener these days, and that doesn’t mean grassy landscapes or well-trimmed quads for Frisbee. Instead, many colleges have taken the environmental reins, instituting university-wide initiatives and fueling student groups that bring attention to environmental responsibility.

Middlebury College recently earned the #2 spot on Grist Magazine’s “15 Green Campuses and Universities” list after its board of trustees adopted a carbon-neutrality plan developed solely by students. Middlebury junior Jenny Erwin, one of the students who supported the plan, says a new biomass heating plant will “save millions of gallons of fuel each year.” The school also has an organic garden to promote sustainable, local foods on campus, and its dining halls have stopped using trays, saving the water needed to wash them and encouraging students to grab less unnecessary food.

Yale University also dominates the green scene. The Yale Office of Sustainability includes professional sustainability coordinators who manage energy conservation efforts, green renovations and other projects to support facility efficiency and staff/student awareness. Activist Chris Termyn, a Yale junior, is organizing a student campaign to encourage the investment of Yale’s $28 million endowment in more environmentally responsible funds and corporations. He says, “What we need is an endowment that stands by the activism of Yale’s undergraduate population.”

Even the George Washington University, often criticized for its environmental record, has gotten into the act. Its Eco-Challenge program pits residence halls against each other to see which can conserve the most energy and water. In a pilot project last year, residence halls collectively saved 80,400 kilowatt hours of electricity and 1.5 million gallons of water compared to the same time period a year earlier. According to George Stephens, a GW professor of geography and geosciences, the school is also investing in more street receptacles for recyclables, seeking to increase its energy efficiency and has formed a “Presidential Task Force on Sustainability.”

Countless other schools across the country are moving toward greener pastures. For the first time this year, the Princeton Review factored schools’ “Green Ratings” into its annual list of the “Best 368 Colleges,” after a survey conducted by the test-prep agency found that 63% of respondents said they’d like to know about environmentalism on campus. With private, university- and student-led initiatives, green may just be the new fashion of 2008.

Go green or go home.

This seems to be the motto shared by everyone from politicians to movie stars. Everybody is going green these days, and in a world with depleting resources and slow-to-act political agendas, even we lowly college students must do our part. Here’s what you can do:

Recycle, duh. College students probably generate the highest rates of cans and bottles of any demographic. So toss those empties in the green bins! Putting a container in your room specifically set aside for recyclables will help you remember to separate them before visiting the trash chute.

Conserve energy. You know the drill: turn off the lights, unplug appliances and shut down laptops when not in use. Skimp on the AC and open windows instead. Take the stairs instead of elevators, and purchase compact fluorescent light bulbs that minimize electricity output. Clothes dryers are another big energy eater; try air-drying on a clothing rack, which also makes clothes last longer.

Saves the whale. Or just the water. Only use dishwashers and washing machines when you have full loads (not that anyone does laundry more than they have to). Wash clothes on the cold cycle.  Avoid hour-long showers and, like mom always said, shut off the faucet when brushing.
Reuse, reuse, reuse. Carry reusable water bottles. Print on scrap paper if possible and print double-sided. Bring reusable bags for grocery shopping, available cheap at most supermarkets, or ask for paper instead of plastic. Bring your own mug to your favorite coffee shop—some even offer discounts for cup-saving customers.

Join the green machine. Most universities have environmental activism organizations. Get involved in go-green groups and encourage the clubs you’re already in to implement green policies. Bug your roommates about shutting off lights, share your tips on environmental responsibility, and of course, share your College Magazine!