By Zo Terrana
Correspondent
As environmental awareness grows across college campuses, students at the College have begun an initiative of their own for increasing such awareness with the Environmental Club. In spreading environmentally-friendly initiatives around campus, the Recognized Student Organization advocates for a cleaner and more sustainable campus and greater community.
The College’s Environmental Club is committed to supporting environmental protection and sustainable practices on the College’s campus and in the local community. Members of the Environmental Club strive to aid the environment through various campus initiatives. These include cleanups to keep the College pristine and environmentally safe.
At these cleanups, student volunteers are provided with tools to safely dispose of litter. The litter is then weighed and disposed of correctly.
The Environmental Club also obtains water samples from campus lakes and Ewing Township, N.J. streams, in an effort to monitor water safety. These projects contribute to New Jersey's Water Watch database by supplying an analysis of water quality through biological assessments to help prevent contamination.
The club’s president Brigette Wixted, a junior political science and environmental studies dual major, has spearheaded the College’s effort for a more sustainable campus life.
“Through the Environmental Club, I am able to channel my passion and energy in pursuing and doing environmental initiatives throughout the campus with assistance and help from my incredible executive board and advisors,” Wixted said of her passion for the College's environmental movement.
To achieve a more sustainable future for the College, Wixted stated the Environmental Club needs a coordinated plan to initiate environmental change for future environmental aspirations and initiatives.
Through the Environmental Club, students, faculty and staff come together in front of the College’s administration to show that environmental sustainability is an important issue to tackle around campus. Wixted said this is a fundamental part in initiating change and bringing awareness to campus.
“We all should continuously want and to strive for being more sustainable in our everyday lives because every little action goes a long way to making the college more sustainable and environmentally friendly,” Wixted said.
Wixted also said that she would spark future change within the local community by collaborating with environmental groups around the College including The Watershed Institute, Climate Revolution Action Network and Raritan Headwaters Association.
This semester, Wixted, along with First Year Community Engaged Learning, conducts invasive species removal every Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. behind the Decker Hall parking garage. The Environment Club’s executive board is orchestrating field trips for this year to environmentally friendly places including TerraCycle in Trenton, Princeton University and workshops with CRAN and The Watershed Institute.
As for the RSO’s Water Watch program Wixted said, “unfortunately, there are not any new developments for the water watch program. However, over the summer, the College has gotten two grants that will fund environmental initiatives on the campus. One of the grants is going to be used to create a native and medicinal food forest which will be protected by deer fencing along the perimeter.” The grant obtained by the College is not only for the RSO aswell.
Ewing Township, N.J., outside of the College, is surrounded by various environmental organizations that share the same vision and mission as the College’s Environmental Club, which include environmental Groups like The Watershed Institute, CRAN, the Sourland Conservancy, Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space and Friends of Princeton Open Space.
As to achieve a more sustainable future within our community, Wixted has stated that government funding for environment programs is beneficial, however funding is not necessarily needed for a more sustainable future. Political action by local communities is paramount in enacting legislation that protects the environment by pressuring local and state government officials.
“Anyone can create a more sustainable future even through small actions like by planting more native species in their lawns and to stop mowing their lawns on a less frequent basis or talk to workers at environmental organizations about how to be more sustainable or volunteer,” Wixted said.
The Environmental Club is partnered with “Re:wild Your Campus,” a leading national movement to transform college campuses and universities into more sustainable environments.
The College partnered with The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System
Program of The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, which is a self reporting framework for institutions to measure sustainability performances to ensure that the college is progressing towards an 100% environmentally sustainable future.
Sustainability and the rise of environmental awareness on the College’s campus can promote a safer and healthier college environment for many students according to Wixted.
