Alpha Chi Goes Green!

Read all about how Alpha Chi is taking measures to protect our environment courtesy of Sophia Kirk!

Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Kappa Chapter, does our best to look out for the best interests in our environment and create a high level of sustainability.

Since the sorority house is physically very large and requires a lot of energy to power, steps to preserve electricity have been made. Energy preservation is important because it will reduce dependence on natural resources and fossil fuels, which have a large negative impact on our environment. Light motion sensors have been installed and lights are turned off when not in use in order to cut back of energy usage. Additionally, compact fluorescent light bulbs have been replacing older technology bulbs to bring higher efficiencies to our lighting. In the summer months when the house is not at full capacity, lights are always turned off. The house has a steam heater, which is used only when necessary in the winter months.

Your Recycle Chair, Morganne Towne,
 taking out the recycling!

Alpha Kappa gives a member the opportunity to become involved in advocating sustainability. Recycle Chair has the role of overseeing the recycling system that all girls use in the house. There are three locations of recycling (in both study dens as well as kitchen) where girls can recycle cans, plastic, and paper in separate bins. Both study dens also have a small bin where girls can deposit their old ink cartridges and batteries to be disposed of correctly. Each bin is clearly labeled and all girls are educated on how to properly recycle as well as the benefits of removing potentially harmful items, such as batteries, from landfill bound garbage.

The Recycle Chair will also give fun facts about recycling and sustainability through announcements during weekly chapter. Fun facts are typically given as a trivia game, with the winner receiving some type of “green” product that the Recycle Chair has planned. This brings awareness and education to the entire house every week. The past Recycle Chair has also been posting newspaper articles relating to sustainability and issues that apply to real world events in locations in the house where girls will read it (like second floor landing and bathrooms).

With the combination of actions taken to keep the Alpha Kappa chapter of Alpha Chi Omega more eco-friendly, we can pride ourselves in sustainability efforts.

It is so reassuring to me to know that the place I call home is doing everything it can to protect the environment. For a house built in 1927 and thus not built to be up to date with the new green technology, I think it is very impressive that our house is taking measures to reduce waste. For your information (and maybe even a fun fact to throw at someone) here are some facts about energy consumption in the US and the huge issue of global warming:

            - Americans consume 26% of the world's energy.

            - 18% of total emissions comes from operating our homes.

            - 90% of the energy used by traditional bulbs is wasted in producing heat.

            - At any one time in most households an average of 8 appliances are left on stand-by.

            - Industrialization, deforestation, and pollution have greatly increased atmospheric concentrations of water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, all greenhouse gases that help trap heat near Earth's surface.

            - Sea level could rise between 7 and 23 inches (18 to 59 centimeters) by century's end, the IPCC's February 2007 report projects. Rises of just 4 inches (10 centimeters) could flood many South Seas islands and swamp large parts of Southeast Asia.

            - Strong hurricanes, droughts, heat waves, wildfires, and other natural disasters may become commonplace in many parts of the world. The growth of deserts may also cause food shortages in many places.

Climate change is a scary thing, and we could easily be feeling the effects of it in our lifetime. Our generation was left to face this problem, and it is important that we do everything we can to protect this Earth.

LITB,

Chrissy Hardesty