Georgia Southern University’s Center for Sustainability plans to continue improving climate neutrality on campus along with the consolidation with Armstrong State University and despite the nation’s dropping out of the Paris Climate Agreement.

“We will continue with our commitment to work towards climate neutrality here at Georgia Southern, we’ve signed the president’s commitment, it’s something that the University is committed to modeling to the community and it’s something that saves us a tremendous amount of money,” Lissa Leege, Director of the Center for Sustainability, said.

The Center for Sustainability is seen on campus from bike pump stations that will soon be placed at every residence hall, to water bottle filler stations that display how many bottles of water were saved from being used, and they are being noticed for it.

While the Center for Sustainability continues to work behind the scenes, it also offers many opportunities for students to become more aware of carbon footprint and to help out on campus.

Some of the upcoming sustainability events on campus include:

Sept. 13- Campus Community Garden Workshop- Students will be able to plant their own vegetables for free in the GS community garden that is located next to the Willams Center.

Sept.15- Georgia Campus Sustainability Network conference for universities across the state will be held at the Performing Arts Center. The regular $5 entrance fee will be waved for students wishing to attend this event.

Sept. 21- The Campus Farmer’s Market Food Fest will be held this Thursday and every Thursday after that leading up to Nov. 9.

Oct. 4- Beginning at the football game against Arkansas State, the Center for Sustainability will be having tailgate recycling, an event at football games where students are encouraged to recycle so as not to produce so much waste before and during football games. This will be at every home football game thereafter.

Consolidating sustainability with Armstrong State University:

The GS Center for Sustainability plans to have a smooth consolidation with Armstrong campus.

“This [sustainability] is something that we are strongly committed to as a University,” Leege said, “We’ve been talking with them [Armstrong] quite a bit. They have a very strong recycling program there and they are committed to sustainability there as well.”

Many grants have also been permitted through the Center for Sustainability for the upcoming year including:

• Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) occupancy sensors
• a new system to reduce food waste in dining halls
• renovations of the RAC and trails
• LED lighting upgrades for GS art galleries.

More information and a complete list of grants can be found here.

For more information about GS Center for Sustainability and how to get involved click here.