The Whitman Conservation and Recycling Committee is a campus organization dedicated to “recognizing the impact Whitman College has on the environment and the leadership role Whitman College plays as an institution of higher learning,” as expressed on the Web site. As such its mission reflects its commitment to promoting an environmentally conscious approach to all elements of campus life and encouraging the Whitman community to participate in programs that reduce our environmental impact. For further questions regarding the committee you can contact the chair, Jed Schwendiman.

Regardless of how much we may or may not know about our impact on the environment, there is always more information out there and many more ways in which we can further reduce our environmental footprint. “The biggest challenges are the continual need for education as students, staff and faculty change (and as new information is available) and the balancing of conservation practices with other equally important goals of the college,” said Committee Chair Jed Schwendiman.

The good news is that the campus is making progress. “The amount of paper used by the college for printing and photocopying has decreased in each of the last two years. We believe this is due to an increase in double-sided printing as well as campus conservation efforts,” said Schwendiman. In addition, “The Whitman students’ Alternative Electricity Donation Project from last semester raised enough money to purchase an additional 12% of the electricity for the main campus from the Blue Sky renewable energy program,” said Schwendiman. This (in addition to what the school was already purchasing) means that we will be purchasing “just over 30% of its energy from renewable sources for the 2007-08 year.”

The committee, according to Schwendiman, recommends several ways in which to become involved, including:
-Reduce the use of bottled water on campus by carrying and re-using your own re-usable drinking containers and using pitchers for water dispensation at functions.
-Request eco-friendly, recyclable shipping materials when you order things online. If you do have Styrofoam peanuts, etc. you can take them to the distribution services at Boyer House where they will be re-used.

The next meetings of the committee will be at noon in Maxey room 142 on Oct. 25 and Nov. 15. For more information on the committee, go to: whitman.edu/content/about/environment.