By JESSE DUNSMORE

Senior Reporter

The trees will soon be green, but will Oakland University? An unscientific survey conducted by The Oakland Post suggests that a majority of students are somewhat environmentally minded, though there is plenty of room for improvement.

A survey of 98 students found that 59 recycle, 77 shut off lights when leaving a room, and 65 turn off other electronic devices. Only a few offered other examples of “green” activities.

Kolby Reed, a freshman, admits that she forgets to stay green sometimes, and that worries her. “I feel like no one really cares about [the environment]. And sometimes I forget, so that means that other people are forgetting. All of us forgetting together cannot be good.”

But some efforts at OU may serve as a reminder.

A DAY FOR MOTHER NATURE

With Earth Day approaching on April 22, OU is gearing up for the annual Earth Day Expo,

which is scheduled for Saturday, April 19.

Presented by OU and the Upland Hills Ecological Awareness Center, the “Healthy People, Healthy Planet” expo will include exhibits in and around the Oakland Center, with hands-on demonstrations and presentations.

The presentations will be on both environmental topics (renewable energy, conservation, sustainable living and green building, and lawn and garden care, for example) and personal health topics, such as complementary medicine, holistic fitness, exercise and nutrition.

Some of the activities slated for the day are an Earth Day film festival, a kids’ arts and crafts corner, and free massages and yoga classes.

The expo will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. A full schedule of events is available at www.earthdayexpo.org.

NEW OPTIONS ON THE HORIZON

Only 34 students surveyed by The Post said they avoided driving when they had other options. OUSC Student Services Committee Chair Jordan Twardy has proposed a shuttle service on OU’s campus to encourage students to take mass-transit.

The line would serve not only the main campus but also the surrounding areas, which Twardy calls the “OU neighborhood.”

The idea is still in its infancy. Twardy said other colleges with similar programs have been contacted, and their opinions have been favorable.

“I think it would be better for people to be taking this to and from school than clogging up the roadways at OU between classes,” said Twardy.

Proposed stops on campus include the Rec Center and the parking structure.

“That thing [the parking structure] is always empty,” said Twardy, “but no one likes to park in it because of the walk, so we thought it might be a good spot for a stop for the shuttle.”

As for payment, Twardy said he is seeking ways to fund the shuttle that would eliminate any need for fare.

“We’re not going to make the students pay for this. They don’t have to worry about that.”

LIVING IN A ‘GREEN’ HOUSE

President of the OU Environmental Coalition Avery Neale said she is excited about a major project beginning in the fall semester of 2008.

Neale will be meeting with Director of Housing Lionel Maten April 16 to seek approval for a plan to make two “eco-interest” suites in Hamlin Hall.

The suites — one male and one female — would be set aside for students who express an interest in ecological concerns. Neale said they would be used to test technologies like high-efficiency showerheads and faucets and motion-activated light fixtures.

Residents in these rooms would participate in the Environmental Coalition by hosting or helping out with events and going on an occasional environmentally themed field trip.

The eco-interest suites are a stepping stone to Neale’s goal for the 2009-10 school year: an eco-interest floor. The floor, planned for Vandenberg Hall, would include the students from the suites as well as anyone with an interest.

The coalition has already placed recycling bins in every residence hall floor lounge and has added bins to other buildings throughout this school year. Next on the list is the Rec Center and O’Rena, set to get bins in late April or May.

“The Rec Center has an unbelievable amount of plastic bottles they go through on a daily basis,” said Neale.

She also said the recycling program will be better organized next year, due in large part to the creation of two new paid student positions, tentatively called “Sustainability Outreach Peer Educators.”

One SOPE will oversee the program in the residence halls, while the other will be in charge of the student apartments.

“This is the first year of our recycling program … and I think you’re going to see a huge difference next year with organization,” said Neale. “We’re taking a big step in the right direction.”