The Green Room

Image via Furman University

Lydia and I go to Furman University, where there’s something really cool going on this year on the Kappa Delta sorority hall. The Green Room Energy and Environmental Initiative Showcase Room (or just the Green Room for short) is a dorm room that has been outfitted with numerous environmentally friendly details. According to the website, “The intent of the project is to showcase, and in the process foster, eco-friendly lifestyle choices and product selection among students in an effort to help the university reduce its carbon footprint.”

Here’s what Paige, the current resident of the Green Room, had to say about the project:

“The Green Room is the first of its kind of Furman, meant to showcase how students can make simple lifestyle changes and product choices to significantly reduce their carbon footprint and impact on the environment. It does not look any different when you walk in, but it is fitted with eco-friendly products and sustainability materials. Living in the Green Room has shown me that being sustainable can be as easy as changing a few purchases that you already have to buy, to ones that are better for the environment and help to conserve energy. It is an important showcase to help foster interest in sustainability on Furman's campus.”

Though it looks pretty standard, this “living laboratory” took a lot of collaborative efforts to get off the ground. It was brought about by Furman student Andrea Triplitt, Furman University’s Environmental Action Group (EAG), the University’s Office of Housing and Residence Life, and the Center for Sustainability. It was funded through a National Wildlife Federation Campus Ecology Grant as well as contributions from the Office of Housing and Facilities Services.

I think that this is a GREAT example of how little choices that we all make in our everyday lives can eventually make a sizable difference to the environment. I hope Furman keeps it up, and that the initiative spreads further on campus!