ON THE HILL Physics professor Chuck Niederriter atop Olin Hall with one of six electric bikes recently added to the Gustavus bike rental program, and next to Olin’s solar panels.
BIKES AND BENCHES
Ride a bike around campus and you’ll
behind it. “Our students drive so much of
now much easier to bike up the hill. And
also notice three new benches outside The
environmental action here. The students
there are more places to sit and rest when
STEAMery. They represent more than two
have a lot of inspiration, and they bring
you get there.
thousand pounds of recyclable plastic saved
good energy into all of these projects,”
from landfills by members of the Gustavus
says Wallin.
In 2016, a group of student-athletes led the push for a bike rental program.
community. Through a partnership with
Last summer, with the Johnson Center for
TREX, a company which builds deck
adds Chuck Niederriter, physics and
Environmental Innovation, the program
materials from recycled plastic, the College
environmental studies professor and co-
expanded to include six electric bikes.
receives one bench per every 500 pounds
director of the Johnson Center. “They get
Electric bikes offer a sustainable alternative
of recycled plastic it collects.
us thinking about how we can reduce our
to driving around town, says Kari Wallin,
Such programs feed into the College’s
“The students are what inspire me,”
energy and waste.”
the College’s Compost, Waste, and
goal to divert 90 percent of waste away
Environmental Sustainability Manager.
from landfills. It’s a bold challenge,
campus are surrounded by tangible proof of
And they’re especially useful for students
but with the committed leadership of
how their individual actions can aggregate
without vehicles on campus.
talented Gusties, there is a lot of energy
into real good.
Whether at rest or on the go, Gusties on
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | SPRING 2022
Thanks to sustainably minded Gusties, it’s
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