In this time of environmental damage, we, the stewards of the earth, are enlisted to make changes in order to help preserve our decaying world. As you know, Eastern University has done just that by choosing to be 100% emission-free wind-energy powered, but there are also incentives offered to students who are environmentally conscious and to on-campus groups such as the Earthkeepers Club that have made it their job as Christians to take care of the earth simply because it is God’s creation.
The Earthkeepers are heavily involved in earth protection and restoration. There are days when they simply meet to go over what “green” ideas they can come up with, and there are work days when they go out and act on their plans. In the 200 hours accumulated during previous work days, they have already worked on bio-engineering projects, gone into the lakes and ponds with canoes to rid them of refuse, and have worked with the natural area interns to clean and pick up garbage.
They have also been working closely with Sodexo and the housekeeping staff to encourage recycling and the use of recyclable products and raise student awareness of the recycling containers that are available for use. All Eastern students are welcome to join Earthkeepers for a meeting or a work day depending on what they feel best suits their gifts.
This up-coming February, students will be encouraged to participate in Dorm Energy Savings Month. During that month, students will be in competition to see who can save the most energy. Savings will be calculated by taking energy bills and dividing them by the number of people living in the dorm and comparing results to those of previous years. The dorm that saves the most energy will be awarded a prize.
SGA, the sponsor of the event, proposed that the competition be held in a way that each week would be focused on a different aspect of environmental protection: recycling, water usage and car pooling, for example.
Eastern has been doing a wonderful job of being environmentally conscious. The effort that is put into caring for the planet will be rewarded with a cleaner, more livable earth for us and future generations. Now that Eastern University is 100% emission-free and doing its part in helping clean the environment, it leads the way in a revolution for a better, greener earth as God intended.