Klay 1
Kaitlyn Klay
Jon Thompson
English Composition I w/Computers
2 June 2014
Water Use and Accessibility
Dear President Ross,
Living a life of sustainability is difficult without proper regards to the environment, and
through ignorance, people consistently harm their surroundings, especially on college campuses.
Most students do not recognize the long term effects that their actions may cause. For instance,
leaving the lights on in one’s dorm room while attending class, extra long showers, or throwing
away food that will end up in a landfill instead of a compost. Given the opportunity, and the
proper environment to reduce their carbon footprint, college students would embrace sustainable
living and would take this education with them after graduation. Therefore, these three easily
attainable areas of environmental improvement should be addressed in the campus Residence
Halls; lighting, water, and refuse.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that if every household would replace
the standard light bulb with one that has an Energy Star rating, the nation could save upwards of
600 million dollars in energy costs, in addition to preventing nine billion pounds of greenhouse
gas emissions ("Eartheasy"). Because of this, LED lights and motion sensors should be installed
in each dorm room. The motion sensor will automatically turn off the lights for the forgetful
college student who tends to leave the lights on. Although LED bulbs are more expensive, they
have many benefits including that they last much longer than incandescent or fluorescent bulbs
and they are not made with mercury, a toxic substance found in fluorescent bulbs ("Eartheasy").
Washing one’s hands or showering daily is not seen as a privilege to most citizens in the
United States. Many are neglectful and waste time in the shower. Water use has tripled in the last
Klay 2
50 years and now it is estimated that the average five minute shower uses thirty gallons of water
(Behr). With the installation of low flow showerheads in each dorm room, the same five minute
shower would use ten gallons. Additionally, the thermostat for the water heat could be reduced
by fifteen degrees. This would reduce the amount of fossil fuels needed to head the water, but
would still retain a reasonable comfort for residents (Ballad).
Recycling on campus is becoming easier for the students. However, recycling stations
that would separate refuse by trash, recyclables, and compost should be made available in the
cafeterias of each Residence Hall. Out of the 100 million tons of plastic used each year, only 5
percent of it is ever recycled (Kiener). By creating these recycling stations, this gap could be
breached. Even more waste could be avoided by putting these recycling stations in the lobbies of
each building on campus. Landfills are currently overloaded with common waste that could be
recycled or composted, with such activity CMU’s landfill waste could be reduced by up to fifty
percent. Composting food and paper items, such as napkins, has little, if any cost associated and
responsible recycling can generate a modest income ("Benefits of Composting"). Additionally,
the cost of the University’s trash removal would be significantly lowered.
Overall, Central Michigan University needs to work to improve the environment by
improving campus and students’ energy. By doing this, the university can reduce its energy
costs, improve the environment by generating less fossil fuel pollution and over loading landfills
and educate its students on how to live a sustainable life.
Thank you for your time,
Kaitlyn Klay
Klay 3
Works Cited
Ballad, Tricia. "Home Guides." Home Guides. N.p., 2013. Web. 2 June 2014.
Behr, Peter. "Looming Water Crisis." CQ Global Researcher 1 Feb. 2008: 27-56. Web. 2 June
2014.
"Benefits of Composting." Benefits of Composting. N.p., 2008-2009. Web. 2 June 2014.
Eartheasy.com. "Eartheasy." Energy-Efficient Lighting: LED & CFL Bulb Information,
including Where to Buy. Eartheasy.com, 2012. Web. 2 June. 2014.
Kiener, Robert. "Plastic Pollution." CQ Global Researcher 1 July 2010: 157-84. Web. 2 June
2014.