Georgia Southern University Professor Offers Everyday Ways to “Go Green”

April 21, 2009

Although Earth Day is the most-recognized effort to inspire awareness and appreciation for the environment, every day provides opportunities to ‘live green.”

‘The environmentally sustainable choice often turns out to be the financially sustainable choice as well � energy, water, and carbon savings all end up putting money back in your pocket. Living green every day is good for both your planet and your wallet,” says Dr. Lissa Leege, director of the Office of Sustainability in Georgia Southern University’s Allen E. Paulson College of Science and Technology.

Dr. Leege offers five everyday tips to help save the environment:

1. Put your computer on standby when you leave the room: screen-saver mode uses just as much energy as if you are working at your computer. Better yet, turn it and other appliances off at the power strip to avoid wasting ‘vampire energy.”

2. Combine several errands into one trip. This will reduce your gasoline costs and your carbon emissions.

3. Make your water work double-time for you. Rinse your vegetables in a pan and use the rinse water to water your plants.

4. The average American meal travels an estimated 1,500 miles from farm to plate. Shop at your local farmers market to support the local economy and significantly reduce the fossil fuels needed to transport your food. It will taste great, too!

5. Recycle! It takes 95 percent less energy to make an aluminum can from recycled cans than it does to make a brand-new aluminum can.

Georgia Southern University, a Carnegie Doctoral/Research University, offers 116 degree programs serving nearly 18,000 students. Through eight colleges, the University offers bachelors, masters and doctoral degree programs built on more than a century of academic achievement. The University, one of Georgia’s largest, is a top choice of Georgia’s HOPE scholars and is recognized for its student-centered approach to education. Visit: www.georgiasouthern.edu.