Earth Day 2008 at RWU

Earth Day 2008 was celebrated at RWU by a range of green initiatives.  Many students took the time to use a computer program to measure their “carbon footprint,” and a dozen vowed to take steps to improve by car-pooling and other measures.  Students also sampled vegan cookies and decorated reusable shopping bags. On the recycling front, the Law School Sustainability Committee collected unneeded electronics for disposal at a special waste site in Johnston RI.

It was also to opportunity for Food Services to roll out a composting program that will cut down on solid waste while creating mulch and fertilizer for campus plantings.

The Environmental Law Society (ELS) also sponsored a beach cleanup along the campus’ eastern shore.  We collected 12 bags of stuff, including chairs, coffeemakers, and the ubiquitous Dunkin’ Donuts cups.  Plus, a can of spray paint and some planks enabled the students to “mark” the territory. Amazingly, a RWU professor planned to cull the stuff to make a piece of sculpture….beauty is in the eye of the beholder, they say….

Finally, on the University front, President Dr. Roy Nirschel formally added RWU to the growing list of universities committed to slow global warming by signing the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment which pledges to pursue carbon neutrality and adopt sustainable practices across a broad range of activities.