Ten ways to live more sustainably at Gettysburg College

1.  Use less electricity by turning off items when not in use, especially computers; switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs; and turning off lights when you find them on around campus.  Electricity in Pennsylvania is largely produced by coal-fired plants and by oil burners, which are limited and polluting resources. While Gettysburg College does purchase 20% of its energy from biomass sources and we do employ many energy-saving practices, individuals' behaviors make the largest impact.  

2. Use less water by taking short (3-5 minute) showers, turning off the faucet, reporting leaks, letting the yellow mellow, and washing clothes in full loads.  Gettysburg College has installed a large number of water-efficient fixtures and continues institutional practices that minimize water use.  ehavior among individual campus members truly makes the difference when aggregated as an entire community.

3.  Bring your own cup or mug to the Bullet Hole and the Commons to reduce disposable-cup waste, thereby reducing our community's contribution to the overall waste stream and landfill volume.  Reducing resource use is one of the main tenets of sustainability, and this is a good first step.  You can also bring your own plate to the Bullet Hole. When attending an event that provides food, brining your own plate and cup greatly reduces your waste production.

4. Recycle all paper, all glass, cardboard, and all plastics using the bins provided by Facilities, as well as batteries and other electronics, and more!  You can find more information about our campus recycling here.

5. Drive less by riding an Orange Bike, using our shuttle service to Giant and other local shopping centers, walking around campus and town, carpooling for trips home, and going to restaurants and shops in town instead of driving outside of town.

6. Get involved in programs and projects addressing issues of sustainability in our campus community and the larger Gettysburg community, and then also in your home community.  Here on campus we have a Sustainability Advisory Committee chaired by Dean Ramsey and Professor Wilson, and we have a sustainability project coordinator at the Center for Public Service.

7. Buy all-natural products such as eco-friendly and phosphorous-free cleaners and detergents, items with the least packaging possible to reduce packaging, and organic cotton clothes and other fair-trade products from www.tenthousandvillages.com and other fair-trade networks.

8. Buy organic and local foods from the Gettysburg Farmer's Market on the square on Saturday mornings and at Giant, Kennie's, and Weise.  Look for foods with the least packaging possible.

9.  Educate yourself by participating in environmental projects and programs on campus, but reading current events, by volunteering with environmental service programs, by taking an environmental studies class, and by asking the Sustainability Advisory Committee how you can help.

10.  Educate your peers by talking about the great things that you see on campus, by encouraging people to recycle, to bring their own mug, to change their light bulbs, to buy organic, to drive less, etc.  Your voice encourages more discussion and develops our community's knowledgeable action.

By Miriam Parson '08