The Associated Students of Madison Sustainability Committee met Tuesday to develop its plans for campaigns aiming to educate the campus community about energy use and waste.
After meeting with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Office of Sustainability, Sustainability Committee Chair Colin Higgins said collecting data for energy used in campus buildings will no longer be a priority for the student group, because the university’s sustainability office has a grant for the same purpose.
The committee expanded plans on other campaigns, which include creating short, one-minute informational sessions on sustainability for Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration sessions, as well as increasing energy-conscious efforts in university residence halls.
Committee member and UW-Madison sophomore Kellen Frable said students, particularly freshmen, could use what they learn in residence halls about recycling and energy management when they move into housing off campus.
The group focused on the use of educational posters and well as social norms, such as public pledges of commitment to recycling, as a way to promote recycling and smart energy use.
“Changing social behavior is the overarching picture here,” Higgins said.
The committee also began planning a sustainability-focused forum for environmental groups across campus.
Higgins said he was excited about the forum and the ideas that could come from it.
“It will be really good to get all the groups who are working on sustainability issues together in one place, as well as letting them know that the ASM Sustainability Committee is here as a resource,” he said.
