Even seemingly small steps toward sustainability and for water conservation can save colleges and universities money and attract environmentally conscious students. Besides, these steps, however modest, are “the right thing to do,” said Eddie Elsberry, director of environmental compliance and sustainability at Berry College.
For example, though installing low-flow toilets may cost around $200 each, they save money and send a message, said Eric Lindberg, Rome-Floyd County director of environmental services.
Low-flow toilets — and any water-conserving step for that matter — save money because of the costs associated with treating water before its reintroduction into the supply.
“It takes energy to get water pumped, and it takes money to produce the chemicals that the water is treated with,” Elsberry said.
In terms of energy, the best way to save money and reduce environmental impact is reducing use of hot water and buying water-efficient appliances, according to Alice Keyes, planning and policy adviser for the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.
Keyes cited low-flow showerheads as a great place to start. “They make sure only 2.5 gallons of water are used per minute,” she said.
Attracting students
There is also evidence that sustainability may attract students to colleges and universities that can demonstrate efforts to achieve it.
According to studies by the President’s Climate Commitment organization, 25 percent of college applicants say that sustainability impacts their decision.
Websites and publications designed to help parents and students make college choices are beginning to take notice, as well.
The Princeton Review recently published a “green rating honor roll” listing the top colleges in terms of striving for and achieving sustainability, a feature article that includes a list of specific sustainable features or selling points at the colleges on the honor roll.
And a website called Green Student U publishes a list of colleges with green campuses, those that demonstrate environmentally friendly practices.
Christine Clolinger, a senior environmental science major at Berry College and student carbon neutrality manager of ECoS, said the growing number of websites like greenstudentU.com and that of Princeton Review are evidence that more and more students are considering sustainability when making their college decisions.
USA Today recently published an article describing the trend showing students choosing more eco-friendly universities over those that have not made sustainability a priority. In addition, because enthusiasm for sustainability has grown among the general population, there is a higher demand for jobs in the field, creating an opportunity for college students to earn degrees in those fields, according to the article.