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Jack Nye talks to prospective students about Towson University's green iniatiatives.
What is a Director of Sustainability?
"I'm very excited to be serving as the first Director of Sustainability at Towson University. I think the role will be ever evolving, but for now my primary responsibilities are to manage campus sustainability initiatives and education, oversee natural resource management, and facilitate compliance with the American College and University President's Climate Commitment (ACUPCC)."
What sustainability projects can the campus expect to see in the coming year?
"Over the next year the university will embark on two sustainability 'firsts.' One is developing a comprehensive sustainability plan, which will be the campus blue print for becoming climate-neutral and addressing things such as energy, operations and natural resource management.
"The second is implementing an Energy Services Contract (ESCO) on campus. Through a partnership with Constellation Energy, TU is making an investment of almost $8 million to upgrade lighting fixtures across campus buildings, resulting in more energy-efficient lighting systems. The project is forecast to save the university more than $1 million annually in operating costs and reduce the campus footprint by almost 10,000 tons of carbon emissions annually, or nearly 10 percent of the total 2010 campus carbon footprint."
Where do you see Towson in 10 years, sustainability-wise?
"My hope is that sustainability will become part of the Towson University culture of 'who we are and what we do' relative to all aspects of campus rather than seen as some special effort or initiative. Making sustainable behavior second nature in everything we do personally and collectively, academically and operationally, is one of my highest priorities."
What do you see as the most pressing issue in the sustainability community right now?
"More education, more education and more education! So much misinformation continues to circulate about the costs and benefits of sustainability. This, combined with long-held cultural perceptions and a resistance to talk about the 'true costs' of sustainable choices versus non-sustainable choices, has created a formidable challenge to overcome."
Give us your three best sustainability tips.
- The greenest resource is the one you don't use.
- Small actions taken by many add up to big results.
- The best way to lead is by example.
Tell us the truth, what's your one sustainability dirty secret?
"I bring in all my recyclables from home to pump up the campus statistics."
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