Bryant hosts first “Green Week”

Student groups raise awareness of environmentally friendly activities.

On April 21, Bryant University kicked off its first “Green Week” to raise awareness of efforts to reduce Bryant’s footprint on the environment. Events continue today, Earth Day, April 22, and Thursday, April 24 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day.

Student organizations, as well as local and state groups, will showcase Bryant’s current and future green initiatives, environmental partnerships, and recycling education. Activities will include demonstrations, contests, quizzes – and even an opportunity to hug a tree.

Green Week participants include the Bryant Debaters, Bryant Pride, Center for Student Involvement, Delta Chi, International Student Organization, Phi Kappa Tau, Residence Life, Sigma Sigma Sigma, Students in Free Enterprise, Student Programming Board, Student Senate, Tau Epsilon Phi, and WJMF. Also taking part are Gaytha Langlois, professor of science and technology and director of Bryant’s Center for Sustainable Business Practices; Ken Person, director of campus and environmental planning; and a group of students from Langlois’ ecology class.

(L-R) Nicole Flieger '09 (Wayland, MA) talks with Bryant Debater members Alison Podpolucha '10 (Milford, CT), and Monika Sattler '08 (Gruenwald, Germany) about their Plant a Plant booth as part of Bryant's first Green Week.

Representatives from the Toxics Information Project, Keep Blackstone Valley Beautiful, the Environmental Council of Rhode Island, and Rhode Island Clean Water Action will also talk to students about their role in protecting the environment.

The effort is being spearheaded by Triona Hanley ’08 (Easthampton, MA), the Student Senate’s community service chair.

“If we stand together, we can make a difference,” says Hanley, a marketing concentrator.

The U.S.-China Institute will mark Earth Day with a half-day conference focusing on the environmental challenges for China and the world. Topics include “The Emerging Environmental Legal and Policy System of China” by Hongjun Zhang, a partner in the U.S-based China team of Holland & Knight, an international law firm, and “Environmental Implications of the Three Gorges Dam” presented by Guangli Xu, professor and chair of the civil engineering department, China University of Geosciences.

"Green Week" organizer Triona Hanley ’08 (Easthampton, MA) with Gaytha Langlois, professor of science and technology and director of Bryant’s Center for Sustainable Business Practices.

Zhang and Xu will join Langlois and Hong Yang, associate professor of science and technology and director of the U.S.-China Institute, for a panel discussion titled “Environmental Challenge: China’s Problem or the World’s Problem.” On Tuesday night, two films will be screened including “Live in a Dilemma” and “Still Life.”

Bryant has been active in promoting dialogue and doing its part to be more environmentally friendly. Earlier this semester, the Science and Technology Department took part in the “Focus the Nation” program that aims to raise awareness of the issue of climate change. Professors showed their students “The Great Warming: The Signs and the Science” and “Everything’s Cool,” two documentaries on global warming, and led follow-up discussions in their classes. About 550 Bryant students took part in the program.

In March, Bryant’s Center for Sustainable Business Practices sponsored the first meeting of the Recycling Summit to discuss ideas for expanding the University’s recycling program.

Last summer, Bryant unveiled its “green” data center, which consolidated the University’s four server sites into one and reduced the amount of energy used for data storage by 35 percent – a savings of nearly $20,000 a year.

Dan DiMugno ’11 (South Windsor, CT) talks with Gaytha Langlois, professor of science and technology and director of Bryant’s Center for Sustainable Business Practices.

Dan DiMugno ’11 (South Windsor, CT), who attended the first day of “Green Week,” is looking forward to taking classes that focus on the environment when a major in environmental science begins in the fall. He encourages his classmates to do their part by recycling or turning off the lights when they leave a room.

“These small changes have a positive effect that builds over time,” he says.

Langlois says businesses are realizing that going green by becoming more energy efficient or recycling can be more profitable.

“It is a sound business practice that can cut costs,” she says.