2008 Woodie Awards
Purchase of 'green' toilets questionable
Our Take
Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: Perspectives
In the next six to eight months, APSU will begin the long, arduous process of replacing every toilet on campus with a more eco-friendly model.
The toilets currently being utilized at APSU use four gallons of water upon every flush, while the new toilets would only use at the most, 1.6 gallons of water.
The All State believes that revamping campus toilets is a step in the right direction, but question the necessity of the move.
The funding for these new toilets comes from the $10 renewable energy fee that students have been paying since fall 2007.
TAS questions the wisdom in spending student money on a venture that is not necessarily needed, or practical for the time at hand.
APSU is not situated in a desert region. Tennessee is known for its lakes and rivers, making it highly unlikely that there will be a water shortage in the near future.
TAS would like to point out that there are other environmental issues facing the university at this time that require more attention.
If APSU is attempting to create a "green" campus, developing a more extensive recycling program should become a top priority as well.
As of right now, the university has few recycling bins and most of these bins are strictly for paper. Plastics should be included as well, due to their lack of decomposition.
APSU should also consider the amount of energy being generated by nonrenewable sources, and should work toward developing more eco-friendly sources such as solar panels and wind turbines.
Despite this, TAS sees the university's "green" remodeling as a step in the right direction. Even though water conservation isn't exactly a pressing issue, it still shows that APSU is attempting to make positive strides toward promoting the environment.
Other steps have also been taken at the APSU farm, such as the development of bio-diesel fuel, a small windmill and a small solar panel. TAS suggests that the university implement these progressive moves on the main campus.
The toilets currently being utilized at APSU use four gallons of water upon every flush, while the new toilets would only use at the most, 1.6 gallons of water.
The All State believes that revamping campus toilets is a step in the right direction, but question the necessity of the move.
The funding for these new toilets comes from the $10 renewable energy fee that students have been paying since fall 2007.
TAS questions the wisdom in spending student money on a venture that is not necessarily needed, or practical for the time at hand.
APSU is not situated in a desert region. Tennessee is known for its lakes and rivers, making it highly unlikely that there will be a water shortage in the near future.
TAS would like to point out that there are other environmental issues facing the university at this time that require more attention.
If APSU is attempting to create a "green" campus, developing a more extensive recycling program should become a top priority as well.
As of right now, the university has few recycling bins and most of these bins are strictly for paper. Plastics should be included as well, due to their lack of decomposition.
APSU should also consider the amount of energy being generated by nonrenewable sources, and should work toward developing more eco-friendly sources such as solar panels and wind turbines.
Despite this, TAS sees the university's "green" remodeling as a step in the right direction. Even though water conservation isn't exactly a pressing issue, it still shows that APSU is attempting to make positive strides toward promoting the environment.
Other steps have also been taken at the APSU farm, such as the development of bio-diesel fuel, a small windmill and a small solar panel. TAS suggests that the university implement these progressive moves on the main campus.
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