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The State of Enviromental Activism at Wesleyan by Justin Tamplin |
You probably think that since Wesleyan is known for being so liberal and socially conscious that it would also be environmentally conscious. Unfortunately, we have a long way to go until our school can be a model of Earth-friendly education. It will take the combined effort of the students and administration to make the needed changes.
The recycling system is constantly in a state of change in the quest to make it efficient and easy for students to understand. Confusion as to what is accepted and where it should be taken causes too many recyclables to end up in the garbage. Most residence halls do not have bins in every hall, or even near the main exits. Few know that even though paper bins are labeled White Paper, we can also recycle colored paper in the same bins. Students shouldn’t put in staples, paper clips, plastic envelope windows, rubber bands or garbage of any kind. A small amount of contaminant will ruin a whole batch of paper. Aluminum cans, #1 and #2, plastic bottles, and glass can be placed in the bins labeled Bottles and Cans. Newspaper and brown grocery bags can go into the Newspaper bin. Cardboard boxes and magazines should be taken to dumpsters in the Butterfield parking lot and on Foss Hill Drive between WestCo and Nicolson.
Over the past year, E3 has tried to work with ARAMARK to get them to cut down on the amount of waste they produce at campus dining facilities, but they have only instituted minor changes. The main problem is the disposable silverware, condiment packages, and cups, plates, and bowls which are distributed at the Campus Center, Summerfields, and the Kosher Kitchen. They say that there isn’t enough room for a dishwasher in such places, but things just can’t go on like they are now. Nor can we blame it all on ARAMARK. Students must change their own consumption habits. Don’t use the disposable cardboard trays, even if they are out of plastic ones; try to minimize your use of plates and bowls and other accessories(you really don’t need a plate for that bagel); only take as many napkins as you really need; and get in the habit of always carrying your own mug or cup with you wherever you go. You will avoid using countless paper cups and you’ll get a ten cent discount every time you use your own. And don’t be shy to tell the managers that you don’t approve of something; they need to hear from everyone that we don’t like the way they are running things.
E3 has also worked with Physical Plant and SFAE (Students for Financially Accessible Education) to cut down on energy use and save the University’s money so that it may be used for better purposes than paying the energy bill. It is the simple things that save the most, like turning off the faucet when you are brushing your teeth and turning off lights when you aren’t in a room. When winter comes, your dorm is guaranteed to be too hot, so call Physical Plant Customer Service at x3400 and let them know. The heating system is controlled from a central point and they have no way of knowing it is too hot unless you tell them. It’s much better and more efficient than opening the window.
Those are some of the big issues, but there are countless other forms of waste and environmental abuse that happen here, and it is your responsibility to make them known and then to do something about it.
If you’re interested in getting involved, here is a brief description of some groups on campus involved with environmentalism and related issues:
Wesleyan’s most active environmental organization is E3 (Earth, Equality, Education). It was formed by members of the now defunct Environmental Interest Group. Over the last few years, E3 has tried to become more active and take on all kinds of issues. This has been great for those willing to do a lot of work, but might have intimidated some who thought that E3 was trying to cover too much ground.
The big issues covered are the campus recycling system, the dining system and its continuous waste of materials, energy conservation, local and national anti-environmental legislation, and community education outside of Wesleyan. Events in the past have included a conference for Connecticut college and high school students, movies, speakers (including Paul Watson, a founder of Greenpeace and the Sea Shepherd Society), singers, a fight against the Contract On America, rallies in front of the Campus Center, a carnival for Middletown kids, a week full of activities leading up to Earth Day, and letter writing at any opportunity.
At the end of last year, there was discussion about reorganizing E3 so that it is easier to be involved in a small way, so that it isn’t necessary to sit at endless meetings waiting to talk about your specific interest. For information, leave a message at the E3 office (x3430), or contact Kate Holbein (Box 4508), Matt Law (Box 4737), Livia Gershon (x4035, Box 4477) or Justin Tamplin (x5998, Box 5330).
Green Underground was started in the fall of ‘94 as an alternative to E3. Its goals overlapped with many of E3’s, bringing about joint efforts on several issues. I honestly don’t know a whole lot about it, or even whether it is going to be revived this year, so keep your eyes open to see if they will be back.
Students for Financially Accessible Education (SFAE) has worked with E3 and Physical Plant in an effort to cut down on energy consumption. The money saved was then put into SFAE’s financial aid fund.
In my opinion, environmentalism and animal rights are almost the same thing, so I am including Wesleyan Animal Rights Network (WARN) in this article. WARN was dormant for several years until it was brought back to life about 2 years ago. They got off to a slow start, but are going strong now. WARN covers topics like vegetarianism, cosmetic testing, fur, and animal experimentation in Wesleyan classes and labs (Yes, it does happen here). For information, contact Carrie Goldstein (Box 4503).
If you’re interested in getting involved with more animal activists outside of Wesleyan, check out the newly formed Connecticut chapter of the Animal Defense League. This is a group of young people who are staging protests and direct actions all over the state against any form of animal abuse. There are many enthusiastic and motivated members and it looks like they could become a pretty strong force. If you’re interested, call Justin Tamplin (x 5998) or Shawn Kopak (525-2422).