Events Mark Campus Sustainability Day at SU

Tuesday October 21, 2008

SALISBURY, MD---Salisbury University celebrates Campus Sustainability Day on Wednesday, October 22, with events for SU students, faculty and staff.

At 11:30 a.m., SU’s Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art offers students the chance to sign up for sustainable volunteer activities at a table set up in Red Square. At 2 p.m. the Residence Life and Human Resources offices co-sponsor the Webcast “Climate Realities, Challenges and Progress in Higher Education” in Teacher Education and Technology Center Room 153.

Hosted by the Society for College and University Planning, the national sponsor of Campus Sustainability Day, the Webcast features Anthony Cortese, president of the nonprofit sustainability organization Second Nature; Richard Moss, vice president and managing director of the Climate Change World Wildlife Fund—U.S.; and Jessy Tolkan, executive director of programs for the Energy Action Coalition, which represents 46 youth organizations throughout the United States and Canada in a movement to stop global warming. New York Times Dot Earth blogger Andrew Revkin moderates.

Members of SU’s Residence Hall Association promote Campus Sustainability Day by wearing green and spreading sustainable messages via sidewalk chalk signs in Red Square and in front of the Commons. Admission to all Campus Sustainability Day events is free.

SU President Janet Dudley-Eshbach also celebrates Campus Sustainability Day by accepting a certificate that afternoon from Mac-Gray Corp. honoring Salisbury as the one of the first universities participating in the company’s “Lighten the Load” carbon reduction program. As part of the program, SU has installed high-efficiency washing machines with auto-injection detergent dispensers at residence halls throughout campus.

The machines use just 12.6 gallons of water per load—compared to 31 gallons for the average home unit. The detergent injectors ensure the right amount of soap is used for each cycle and eliminate the need for bulky plastic detergent jugs.

Through the program, Mac-Gray also donates $800 per year in SU’s name to carbonfund.org, a national carbon reduction organization. The annual donation continues throughout SU’s seven-year contract with Mac-Gray, with options for three additional one-year renewals.

For more information call 410-543-6030 or visit the SU Web site at www.salisbury.edu.