Prof. Jennifer Everett Discusses Sustainability Efforts with Newspaper

March 5, 2008

March 5, 2008, Greencastle, Ind. - When they're inundated with messages about global warming and the need to reduce their carbon footprints, "People are not evil in wondering, 'What's in it for us?'" says Jennifer Everett, assistant professor of philosophy at DePauw and the University's sustainability program coordinator. "The benefits need to be shown on a local level."

Professor Everett is quoted in an article in Greencastle's Banner-Graphic that examines how Putnam County-based organizations are responding to environmental challenges. Kevin Crafton writes, "DePauw has a new budget to help sustainability initiatives. An investment fund is in place where $12,000 is to be used for these programs. The money comes from the simple change to waterless urinals at the Indoor Tennis and Track Center."

In fact, DePauw is implementing a variety of repairs, upgrades, and efficiency measures with annual savings of more than $50,000. Waterless urinals, which together will save 68,000 gallons of water per year, account for a relatively small part of that total, Everett notes. Much larger economic savings are attributable to energy efficiency. For example, DePauw will save $12,000 per year simply by turning off unnecessary lights in the Indoor Tennis & Track Center during noncompetitive events.

Crafton writes, "The new Prindle Institute will also be a green building, possibly LEED Gold. LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification provides verification that a building project meets the highest green building and performance measures."

The newspaper story continues, "The city has also begun looking at its usage and waste. Shannon Norman, city planner, reported that city hall is currently enacting an audit of all departments, being spearheaded by DePauw Senior and Bonner Scholar Ross O'Connor. These audits are simple and can be run by businesses and individual homes alike."

Everett says that while sustainability initiatives can be expensive to implement, they often save money over time. "We must focus on the long-term gain rather than the short-term loss," she tells the newspaper. "This is not about a moral obligation to others in far away lands, or polar bear extinction. This is about saving money as well as helping children from getting asthma due to the poor air quality as a result of wasted energy."

Read the full story at the Banner-Graphic's Web site.

A summary of DePauw's sustainability measures is available online here.

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