Conversations with Gardner: Satisfying Sustainability

Clasping his hands behind his head, John Gardner leaned back, rested his black boots on the corner of his desk and said, “The results from RecycleMania are in. We did really well!”

RecycleMania is a satisfying competition that promotes waste reduction and improved recycling programs for colleges and universities across the nation. A total of 510 schools collectively recycled or composted more than 69.4 million pounds of material during this year’s competition. Boise State received the Grand Prize 12th place in the Benchmark bracket of the tournament.

Lifting his feet off his desk, Gardner sat up in his chair, saying “This competition is a really great opportunity for us to establish a baseline for tracking future waste.”

In the 10-week period, BSU recycled approximately 18,000 pounds of paper, cardboard, bottles and cans on campus. Moving his hands in a circular motion, Gardner said, “As we continue to track throughout the years we’ll be able to research what areas need improvement.”

In an effort to reduce consumption on campus, Gardner recommends bringing refillable water bottles instead of buying bottled water every day.

Turning to his computer screen, Gardner slid his mouse across the desk and said, “I am working on replacing old drinking fountains with new filtered water stations.” These stations will provide clean drinking water at no cost and encourage students to reuse bottles.

“This is just one of the many projects I am focusing on,” Gardner said while pulling up a picture of a white, box-shaped water filtration station. Throughout the summer, Gardner will be at his office in the Math/Geological Sciences Building working on various energy and consumption research developments.

Gardner is working to incorporate solar panel roofing on parking structures throughout campus. His eyes widened as he said, “Having solar power will enable research and give BSU experience in producing and managing our own energy.”

Students have the opportunity to get involved in projects like these through various environmental classes offered by the university.

There are about 40 undergraduate courses related to sustainability in all areas of study.

“Students should think about what their career goals are and incorporate sustainability into that somehow,” Gardner said. Lifting up papers on his desk in search of a course catalog, Gardner said, “We’re weaving sustainability throughout the curriculum.”

Gardner teaches Energy for Society, a class that fulfills an Area Three university core requirement. The class focuses on how we use energy and where we get it. In the Social Science Department, Martin Orr teaches an Environmental Sociology class that addresses social, political and environmental implications of human impacts on nature. These classes provide environmental awareness on many levels, regardless of students’ majors.

For a complete list of sustainability-related courses, access the greenhouse gas inventory report on the sustainability home page at boisestate.edu/sustain/. For more information and updates on sustainability initiatives on campus, visit arbiteronline.com. To view this year’s results and learn more about Recycle Mania, visit recyclemania.org.

KC DRISCOLL
Arbiter Columnist

Related Posts:

1. Conversations with Gardner: The Sustainability Saviors
2. Conversations with Gardner: Be an engaged disciple
3. Conversations with Gardner: Steamy possibilities
4. Conversations with Gardner: High Costs
5. Conversations with Gardner
   Nature appreciation