Students promote environmentalism
By: Christine Digangi
Issue date: 9/5/08 Section: News
An average light bulb is just as eco-friendly as an energy-efficient light bulb - if they're both turned off. That was just one of the many interesting points mentioned during the DePauw Environmental Policy Project's presentation Tuesday.
Seven of the 13 students that were involved with project during the summer took turns conveying their knowledge and concerns about Indiana's lackluster environmental policies at the event in Watson Forum.
Sophomore policy intern Anthony Baratta began the night by telling the crowd how the project was started. When Forbes Magazine ranked Indiana as the 49th greenest state, the DePauw Environmental Policy Project took sustainability concerns into its own hands, researching topics such as air quality, carbon footprints and water quality. Beyond the months of research, the interns wrote more than 20 letters to legislators, aiming to be influential in Indiana's environmental policy.
"I definitely think that with our combined efforts and the fact that senators take us seriously we make a difference," said junior policy intern Keelin Kelly.
Following Kelly, junior policy intern Jay Wellik addressed the effect of Indiana's coal usage on the environment. Wellik said that based on Indiana's use of coal, the state, if considered a country, would be among the top 30 nations with the greatest amount of carbon emissions. Since Hoosiers derive about 95 percent of their energy from coal, Wellik said DEPP looked at legislature that could fix Indiana's heavy reliance on coal.
One of the areas of interest that DEPP researched was The Climate Registry, a non-profit organization that tracks a state's carbon dioxide emissions and how they affect energy use. Indiana is not currently included in the 39 states that are members of The Climate Registry.
To counter the negative effects of Indiana's coal use, sophomore policy intern Kate Wright discussed green buildings in the state. Accredited by the U.S. Green Building Council, green buildings are awarded points based on sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality, according to the USGBC Web site.
Seven of the 13 students that were involved with project during the summer took turns conveying their knowledge and concerns about Indiana's lackluster environmental policies at the event in Watson Forum.
Sophomore policy intern Anthony Baratta began the night by telling the crowd how the project was started. When Forbes Magazine ranked Indiana as the 49th greenest state, the DePauw Environmental Policy Project took sustainability concerns into its own hands, researching topics such as air quality, carbon footprints and water quality. Beyond the months of research, the interns wrote more than 20 letters to legislators, aiming to be influential in Indiana's environmental policy.
"I definitely think that with our combined efforts and the fact that senators take us seriously we make a difference," said junior policy intern Keelin Kelly.
Following Kelly, junior policy intern Jay Wellik addressed the effect of Indiana's coal usage on the environment. Wellik said that based on Indiana's use of coal, the state, if considered a country, would be among the top 30 nations with the greatest amount of carbon emissions. Since Hoosiers derive about 95 percent of their energy from coal, Wellik said DEPP looked at legislature that could fix Indiana's heavy reliance on coal.
One of the areas of interest that DEPP researched was The Climate Registry, a non-profit organization that tracks a state's carbon dioxide emissions and how they affect energy use. Indiana is not currently included in the 39 states that are members of The Climate Registry.
To counter the negative effects of Indiana's coal use, sophomore policy intern Kate Wright discussed green buildings in the state. Accredited by the U.S. Green Building Council, green buildings are awarded points based on sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality, according to the USGBC Web site.
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