Although it might not be evident to every student, Binghamton University does care about world issues, including the environment. With events such as the Campus Climate Challenge and the introduction of groups like College-in-the-Woods’ “Conscious and Caring,” some students are stepping up to the urgent need to conserve energy.

However, many students ask the question, “Is there really anything I can do to conserve energy on campus?” It may seem that there is only so much you can do while residing in the dorms but, believe it or not, there are many ways in which you can do your part to live green on campus.

Abu Nayeem, a sophomore double majoring in environmental studies and economics, and treasurer of the Campus Climate Challenge, told Release a few “Do’s and Don’ts” for staying green in the dorms.

“Don’t use your computer to listen to music,” Nayeem said. He suggested using an iPod or other music-playing device. He also urges students to put their computers in sleep mode when they are not using them. He said that programs that are left running, such as instant messaging programs, waste a lot of energy.

Other tips from the Campus Climate Challenge include: Don’t leave your windows open, but if you can’t take the heat, leave them slightly ajar, reuse bottles and use a Brita filter for water, reuse plastic bags and print on both sides of the paper when you can.

The dorm is not the only place where students need to be making more of an effort to conserve. Energy is wasted all over campus, especially in the dining halls. However this is not only the fault of the students, but blame can also be put on our friends at Sodexho. There are a lot of energy-saving ideas in the process, yet none of them have been put into action so far.

Bob Griffin, head of marketing for Sodexho, explained the ideas.

“We are working with the University on a composting program,” he said.

Karen Fennie, spokesperson for Physical Facilities said about 2,500 pounds of food waste from the dining halls, Food Co-Op and Susquehanna Room were composted between July 2006 and July 2007.

He mentioned that Sodexho was “in the process” of replacing the lighting sources with “high-efficiency light bulbs.” There are plans to remodel the dining halls so that they use Energy Star equipment, and to create a better recycling program. He also mentioned that there is no official time line of when these plans will actually be put into practice.

Yet, as much as we like to point fingers at Sodexho, students also need to take responsibility for the lack of conservation in the dining halls.

“I encourage anyone to take a walk in the dining hall to see how much waste is left by students after dinner,” Griffin said. He said that “students’ personal decisions” are a big part of the problem.

“A key component is students taking responsibility,” he said. “We [Sodexho] are not in the position to tell students how to behave.”

He said that the dining hall staff only produces as much as they estimate the students will consume each day. They have a “batch cooking” process, meaning that they only cook what is needed at any given time. He claims that at the end of the day there is very little waste from leftover food. “Any waste generated is from the students throwing stuff out,” he said.