Yesterday I went with members of my Principles for a Sustainable Lifestyle class to the Chicago Center for Green Technology–a progressive eco-oasis located in the middle of one of Chicago’s more industrial neighborhoods. One of only three fully LEED-certified buildings in the United States, the Center’s campus houses a number of organizations and businesses dedicated to expanding green practices into the community at large through urban gardening, environmental job training and sustainable construction projects. There are a number of excellent opportunites for volunteering as well as seminars and workshops available to the public throughout the upcoming months, including one on reducing the carbon footprint of your living space. Tours are also held Monday through Saturday.
Given DePaul’s relatively progressive stance on social issues and outreach it would stand to reason that the University would make campus greening more of a priority. Recycling is great but there are many additional improvements to be made; and in some cases state and federal money is available for these eco-friendly upgrades and renovations. Students can write letters to the Dean as well as local officials expressing their desire for composting opportunities, compact fluorescent bulbs in every light fixture, a campus garden with organic produce and flowers, solar panels to power dorms and classrooms; even wind turbines that come in smaller sizes and can be attached to urban buildings.
In 2007, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign competed in the Solar Decathlon–a three-week competition in which students from over 20 colleges and universities design, build and live in completely solar powered houses. They are judges on efficiency, aesthetics and innovation. The event is held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and attracts people from all over the world. The UI house is on display at CCGT for a few months before moving permanently to the University’s campus; it is worth checking out!
