Rethinking a more sustainable campus

Little by little, says Rochelle Owen, director of the Office of Sustainability. By starting with incremental change—like powering down our computers when we leave the office in the evening—we begin to think about other aspects of our lives. Next thing you know, you’re cycling to work and getting an energy audit for your home.

Dalhousie’s Office of Sustainability is launching its Rethink program, a behavioral change program designed to increase Dalhousie employees’ awareness about energy use in the workplace and encourage more environmentally conscious decisions at work. Examples including switching off lights, turning down the thermostat, printing paper on both sides and bringing a reusable mug along on a coffee run.

What’s the key? Good old-fashioned peer pressure. “It’s to help each other make the change you want to make,” says Ms. Owen. “Plus it makes it fun to work together.”

The Office of Sustainability encourages Dalhousie units (office groups, academic departments, residence floors) to sign up as “sustainability teams.” The office, in turn, will offer a two-hour training session and leave behind suggestions of things that can be done.

Some friendly competition between teams should help to get things rolling. So far, the Killam Library and Communications & Marketing are the first teams to sign up. They’ll go head to head with a game of Jeopardy at the Rethink Campus Launch on Friday, Oct. 23 at noon in the Dal SUB.

LINK: Rethink, Sustainability on Campus