Going green is no small task, but there are many things individuals can do to help with their share of global greening. Whether it be recycling, picking up trash or planting a tree, the small efforts add up. Some students and alumni at Oakland University have not only done their share to go green, but have gone above and beyond to make a bigger impact on campus and in the community.

Sustaining Our Planet Earth

In 2007, 2009 alum Avery Neale founded the Environmental Coalition at OU. The coalition’s purpose is to establish campus-wide programs that promote recycling, waste reduction and energy efficiency. They also strive to establish community service and educational opportunities for students on campus. Neale realized the effects of waste on campus, and wanted to make a change. Neale started with a recycling program and began to organize various greening events.

Neale’s interest in greening did not stop with recycling. She also helped with the creation of the eco-floor in Hamlin Hall, and piloted the student run organization Sustaining Our Planet Earth (S.O.P.E.).

“I hired Avery as my office assistant, but her job switched real quick and she was instead in charge of making housing green,” said Frank Moss, maintenance manager. “The project exploded from there.”

Neale graduated from the OU Honors College in 2009, with a major in integrative studies, and a minor in communication. She’s currently attending Central Michigan University for graduate studies in speech pathology.

Green Graduation

Brianna Isaac is a senior at OU, majoring in business and minoring in environmental science. This combination might not make sense to everyone, but Isaac sees it differently.

“Environmental Science is applicable to everyone.  The Earth is something we all have in common, regardless of your personal views on sustainability,” Isaac said.

Isaac is an active member in the Environmental Society and helping the environment is something she is passionate about.

“We only have one Earth, and I think it’s everyone’s responsibility to take care of it.  Once you realize how much of a negative impact you have on it, you feel obligated to change.  I always try to think of if the benefits are worth the detriment to the environment,” Isaac said.

One large event Isaac is currently working on is greening graduation. After reading an article about MSU greening their graduation, Isaac and the rest of the ES group were interested in getting involved.

According to Isaac, standard gowns are made from petroleum-based polyester, leaving a huge negative impact on the environment. With a green graduation, approximately 23 plastic bottles are reclaimed to produce each environmentally-friendly cap and gown.

“That means that if our entire student body partook in a green graduation, OU could single-handedly be responsible for saving a half a million plastic bottles from entering a landfill,” Issac said. “Not to mention, recycled gowns lack the unflattering sheen of traditional gowns and are also much more breathable.”

Isaac not only participates in events in the community but she is just as active with greening at her home. Isaac refuses to use plastic water bottles, and carries a reusable water bottle instead.

“Not only do I save tons of money by carrying a reusable bottle, but I also save petroleum from being used and space in a landfill.  If Americans stopped drinking bottled water for one year, we would save enough petroleum to fuel 500,000 station wagons on coast-to-coast trips,” Isaac said.

Isaac also set up her own worm compost bin in her apartment after learning about the benefits of compost while volunteering with student group Urban Farming at Oakland University.

Bio-diesel program

Originally a nursing major, Tom Dawda realized environmental studies was truly where he belonged.

“I switched to something that I loved. I’d rather work outside in any weather condition than be inside for work,” Dawda, now in his fifth year at OU, said.

Although Dawda has always loved hunting and fishing, and has known all along that the environment was important, it was through a volunteer project cleaning up roads that he realized it could be a career.

He has been active in every event that the ES has held, but the bug certification stood out the most to him.

“We learned what the stream consisted of by counting the bugs that were present. We learned what pollutants were in the stream, by what bugs were missing.” Dawda said.

Dawda single-handedly held a bottle and can drive to raise money for future ES events and projects. One project that Dawda said he is especially excited about is creating is a bio-diesel program. He wishes to create a plant that would take the old oils from fast food restaurants and clean it, making it suitable for diesel vehicles.

“I want to be able to give students cheap fuel that has essentially no emissions except for the smell of french fries,” Dawda said.

The long-term goal of this project is to hopefully make a small business on campus, run by ES. For now, Dawda is excited just to test the ideas.

Even when he wants to just relax and spend time with his friends, Dawda is always active in the environment.

“My friends and I like to go hunting and fishing all the time. We love just going out in the woods and seeing what’s there and, more importantly, what’s missing. I like to see how nature is and how we can still make it suitable for us without hurting it,” Dawda said.

Dawda firmly believes in living life as humans without hurting nature.

“Take what you need, leave what you want and you’ll always have something to look forward to. If you take everything, there will be nothing left, and in the future you will have nothing,” Dawda said.

Neale, Isaac, and Dawda all have high hopes for the future of the environment. These students hope that what they’re doing now will grow and inspire more students to jump on board and transform the OU community.