Having fun while helping the environment

On Halloween weekend last fall, University of Notre Dame students were warned of the drawbacks of “vampire energy” — energy that is sucked out of their appliances even when they’re put to sleep, shut down, out of commission or in any other sense “undead.”

“If they’re still plugged in, they’re still drawing energy through the outlet,” says Heather Tonk Christophersen, co-chair of South Bend’s Green Ribbon Commission and director of sustainability at the University of Notre Dame. “That includes cell phones, TVs, computers, irons, hair appliances … anything that’s plugged in.

“Gaming systems are the worst,” she adds. “They draw almost as much energy on idle as when they’re operating.”

The Halloween-themed awareness-raising initiative is a good example of the fun and creative ways that two South Bend universities are educating students about environmentally friendly practices.

This spring, the Center for a Sustainable Future at Indiana University South Bend is rolling out a dozen giant plastic barrels donated by the local Coca-Cola distributor, all tricked out with designs created by local artists, a high-gloss protective finish and the appropriate hardware, such as spigots and screens, to make them function as rain barrels.

The brainchild of Kathleen Petitjean, a Fellow at the center, these designer rain barrels are on display for several weeks at the offices of their underwriting organizations, then will be packed off to the South Bend Museum of Art to be auctioned. The auction takes place at 7 p.m. Friday, May 6.

The whimsical rain barrels will serve as a gentle reminder of a much more serious subject: a growing worldwide water shortage problem.

Troubled waters

By some estimates, water shortages could reach crisis proportions as early as 2025 in some parts of the world, says Mike Keen, director of the Center for a Sustainable Future and a co-chair of the Green Ribbon Commission. The commission was formed by Mayor Steve Luecke in 2008 with the mandate to form strategies for reducing the carbon footprint of city government and the entire community.

“It’s really important to bring attention to the water shortage,” Keen says. “Oil and gas are dwindling resources we’re all aware of. Because of the price of gas, we conserve, and that particular energy problem will be solved with renewable energies.

“The real problem is water,” he says, “because there is no substitute. We don’t think about it here in the Midwest, where we get regular rain and snow. It seems very plentiful to us, so we’re using it faster than it’s replenishing itself. But if you look around the world, there are already water wars happening in places where the groundwater supply is being depleted. It’s important for us to become aware and conserve now in a sustainable fashion.”

April activities

While each individual entity maintains its own particular mission, for both IU South Bend and Notre Dame, the focus is on achieving a sustainable future, defined as one that successfully balances the needs of people, the economy and the environment in a way that doesn’t compromise the needs of future generations. And, in a similar fashion, both are strongly focused on outreach efforts that will engage students, faculty and the community.

For the month of April, Christophersen says her group has planned two events. No-Impact Week will focus its educational campaign on reducing environmental impact, with an additional focus on reducing the use of plastic water bottles. The event bases its title on a movie about a man who pledged to live for one year in New York City without having any environmental impact.

“We encourage using reusable water bottles,” Christophersen says. “More and more staff have moved from water bottles to water coolers. There’s no ban on water bottles yet on campus, but we’re moving in that direction.”

The office also will sponsor Earth Day activities, as it does every year.

The Center for a Sustainable Future will host a reception for Earth Day on Friday, April 22, but the main event for the month is the rain barrel project and auction, Petitjean says.

“About 75 children participated painting and decorating the rain barrel of the SBCSC Special Needs and Abilities Preschool,” she says. “There are 12 artists and 12 barrel underwriters, as well as six project and event underwriters who provided additional support. A lot of people were involved in this project.”

To find out more about the agencies and their various programs and initiatives, go to:

Office of Sustainability, University of Notre Dame

Center for a Sustainable Future, Indiana University South Bend

The Green Ribbon Commission supports the City of South Bend in its efforts to reduce local contributions to global-warming pollution. It also proposes policies to reduce community energy costs and consumption, and it recommends sustainable practices for adoption by municipal government, private businesses and local citizens.