This past week, PoWER held Green Power Week, which was comprised of five events to educate students and faculty on the effects they have on the environment.
Monday was used to raise awareness for PoWER, and Tuesday a bonfire was held to encourage students to enjoy fresh air and not use electricity for a period of time. The clean plate award was given to any student in the CDR on Wednesday at dinner who cleaned their plate. Each name was entered into a drawing for a gift card and recognition for not wasting food. Due to W Day festivities, Thursday’s event, playing Frisbee, was outside as well as Friday’s recycling game. Students guessed if items such as Styrofoam, pizza box, and a notebook with spirals.
“Our bonfire on Tuesday had a great turnout, and our Clean Plate Award at the CDR on Wednesday helped to denounce wastefulness,” said Brandon Pytel, PoWER President. “Students seem to be really receptive to the green movement, and it is great to see how much energy is being saved in the residence halls as residents compete to win this semester’s Energy Hall Competition. This week has been about creating environmental awareness and adjusting lifestyles, and I think it’s done just that.”
PoWER, Parliament of Wittenberg Environmental Revolutions, is a student run organization that has been active this past semester promoting ways in which students can live a greener lifestyle.
“Our goal is to spread awareness about different ways you can be green and to make campus a more environmentally friendly place,” said Michael LaCagnin, secretary of PoWER.
Each dorm building has a challenge throughout the semester in which the power usage of the entire building is monitored and compared to previous semesters. Currently the Polis house is in the lead of the energy competition. To show how much electricity is used in a dorm room, PoWER held a mock dorm room exhibit outside the Student Center in which students ranked the amount of power used by each appliance.
LaCagnin was named the first Green Senator on campus recently due to PoWER’s push to have this position a part of Student Senate. President Brandon Pytel fought hard by talking to the Sustainability Task Force and Student Senate to persuade them to create an opening for the position.
“I’m the liaison from the green originations on campus to Senate,” said LaCagnin. “I update Senate on everything the green organizations and students are doing on campus.”
Next year five members of PoWER were selected to live in the Eco-House located on campus. The students have to commit to living a green lifestyle and utilize the energy efficient appliances and demonstrate to fellow peers ways they can change their current lifestyles to become more eco-friendly.
“We plan to have a garden to provide fresh vegetables and herbs, carpool as much as we can, recycle all paper, plastic, and glass that can be recycled,” said Maura Hauer. “We will also host PoWER events such as PoWER HOUR to encourage turning off all electronics and lights, as well as encouraging others to be environmentally conscious.”
(Meagan Steed / s13.msteed@wittenberg.edu)
