CONNECTIONS the MAGAZINE
of AFLV
INSIDE > LETTERS & LEADERSHIP > PINK GOES GREEN > GREEKS GO GREEN > TAKING ACTION!
VOL. 3 / ISSUE 010 / SPRING 2010
House Direct ors NATIONAL
Save the dates of June 24-27, 2010
For this unique professional development opportunity.
CONFERENCE
NEW MEXICO Photo Credit, Kim Ashley
Photo Credit, Ron Behrmann
Photo Credit, Verna Wood
NATIONAL HOUSE DIRECTORS CONFERENCE June 24-27, 2010
THE POST CONFERENCE TRIP TO SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO June 27-30, 2010
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the inside starts here FEATURES 006 / do your letters make you a leader? // tish norman 010 / enriching the earth: pink goes green // mandi wise 012 / greeks go green // whitney swesey baker & teniell trolian 016 / taking action: BGSU greeks go green
Connections is the official publication of the Association of Fraternal Leadership and Values. The views expressed by contributors, authors and advertisers are not necessarily those of the Association. AFLV encourages the submission of content to: Lea Hanson Director of Publications connections@aflv.org Submit advertising queries to: Mark Koepsell Executive Director mark@aflv.org 970/372.1174 888/855.8670 info@aflv.org
COLUMNS 002 // letter from the executive director 002 // letter from the editor 016 // facilitation 411 018 // ask the experts 020 // from the road 022 // busted! 024 // one more thing
Connections is published four times each year. Submission Deadlines: Summer 2010: Multicultural Fraternities & Sororities, June 29 Fall 2010: Mental Health, August 30 Winter 2011: Social Media, December 1 Send address corrections to: Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values 420 South Howes Bldg B; Suite 200 Fort Collins, CO 80524 970/372.1174 888/855.8670 info@aflv.org Â
Layout & Design Steve Whitby / Warehouse 242 swhitby@mac.com  Editorial Board Andrea Battaglia / Drury University Ryan Hilperts / AFLV Andrew Hohn / University of Illinois, Urbana-Chapaign Carol Preston / Ohio University Teniell Trolian / Kent State University Viancca Williams / University of South Florida
Member / Fraternity Communications Association
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> In an effort to better serve you, our members, and provide more efficient operational support of the Association, we hired two employees. Tricia Fechter joined us as the Director of Member Services and Jill Lancaster as our Office Manager.
green.
is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered one of the additive primary colors. On the HSV color wheel, the complement of green is magenta; that is, a purple color corresponding to an equal mixture of red and blue light. On a color wheel based on traditional color theory (RYB), the complementary color to green is considered to be red. green is good, or so we’ve heard.
> We launched our new Website with many more features, member services, and increased functionality. Included are features like the Career Center, the News Feed, and the Forum. > We debuted the LeaderLink Webinar series providing easy and affordable access to educational content right from your computer. > We created the AFLV Blog, covering topics and providing thoughts about current issues impacting the fraternal community. > We unveiled our first AFLV International Service Learning Excursion to El Salvador scheduled for January of 2011. > We introduced our new Professional Development Experience, The Gathering. > We broke attendance records at both the AFLV Central Fraternal Leadership Conference/National Black Greek Leadership Conference and at the AFLV West Fraternal Leadership Conference/National Cultural Greek Leadership Conference. > We increased our virtual presence through Facebook and Twitter. Most recently we brought you #GreekChat, our weekly Twitter chat program. > We updated and enhanced the AFLV Awards and Assessment program creating reports to provide a more useful and informational experience for councils and advisors. These are just some of the highlights. So many new features have been added, member services improved, and efficiencies introduced that they are too numerous to mention here. In addition to all this, we have maintained our diligence in providing you the quality programs you have come to expect from us. The undergraduate leadership conferences, the National House Director Conference, and Connections Magazine all continue to be a primary focus for the Association staff and volunteers. So here is a big THANK YOU for believing in the Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values. You are our reason for being, our inspiration for creating, and without you we couldn’t succeed. Because of you, we will continue to find new, innovative, and relevant ways to support the fraternal movement in year two … and beyond.
If brown is the new black, then green is the new brown. Being green certainly is buzzword anywhere you go these days and although it sometimes annoys me that being green is all of the sudden ‘trendy’, I also recognize that we need to take what we can get. This issue shares multiple insights as well as practical and useful tactics for being leaner, using less, and, in general, being green. It’s important stuff and it makes me sad to state that this was one of the toughest issues for the Editorial Board to find content for. Why? Because not enough people are doing enough! Being green is not a political issue. Everyone really ought to be concerned about using less and living a simpler life. If we can save energy, money, and other resources, we really ought to – no matter how we feel about political issues that surround the environment. And, although there are certain organizations that are certainly leading the way for the fraternity and sorority community at an inter/national level, let’s face it – fraternities and sororities really aren’t leading the way for campus communities. I think we should be. I mean, we’re leaders, right? Leadership doesn’t just stop at council retreats and community service, fraternity and sorority members should be progressive in any and all areas that we can.
Executive Director Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values Editor Connections Magazine 002 // connections // 2010 • spring
Letter from the Editor
Letter from the Executive Director
Rather than taking this opportunity to comment on the content of this issue, I wanted to take a slightly different approach to this letter. The Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values is about to wrap up our very first year of operation and I wanted you, our members and supporters, to get a glimpse into what has happened during that time with YOUR Association.
You should be here.
Can you even name this country?
AFLV Winter Break Immersion Trip January 1 – 8, 2011 San Salvador, El Salvador
Work alongside the people of El Salvador, & put your values into action. Experience the culture of Latin America. Explore your ideals, & envision bold future possibilities with fellow fraternity and sorority student leaders from around the country. Applications will be available in April. For more information, contact Tricia Fechter, Director of Member Services: tricia@aflv.org AFLV // 003
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DAVID STOLLMAN Revitalizing Fraternity and Sorority Members on Your Campus
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Buy In X
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GET OUT! X
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Is your Greek community held back by chapters and members who don’t get it, or who just don’t care? Do you have members who are there for the wrong reasons? Well, it’s time to drag them, push them, fine them, beg them or dare them to attend David Stollman’s keynote, where they will be challenged to Buy In or GET OUT! David will say what you wish you could in his funny, interactive and in-your-face style. His message will inspire those who want to care about the core values of Fraternity and Sorority Life—friendship, service, leadership and scholarship. Want to recruit the right members the first time around? Get quantity and quality with RECRUITMENT BOOT CAMP, the nation’s premiere fraternity and sorority recruitment workshop. Find out more information at recruitordie.com.
For more information about David, contact CAMPUSPEAK at (303) 745-5545 or e-mail us at info@campuspeak.com. See a promotional video of David’s keynote at www.campuspeak.com.
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CONTRIBUTORS MANDI WISE
teniell trolian
whitney swesey baker
tish norman
mandi wise Delta Zeta Sorority • mmw@dzshq.com In case you’ve been hiding your head under a rock (hey, it’s springtime), you’ve probably noticed that Delta Zeta Sorority is kind of ahead of the game when it comes to Green Initiatives. While most organizations are just starting to think about Green Initiatives, the ladies of Old Rose and Vieux Green have been going green for several years. If you don’t have a DZ chapter on your campus, however, you may not have known this. All the more reason to read this article and get ideas, we suppose. This article will not only inspire you to do more in your chapters and on your campus, it will give you some useful and tangible ideas about how to do just that. Whitney Swesey Baker RISE Partnerships, Inc. • wlb10@zips.uakron.edu Teniell Trolian Kent State University • ttrolian@kent.edu This article has ‘informational’ written all over it. From giving an overview of energy consumption, water consumption and hazardous chemicals to giving realistic ideas for what you can do to become more sustainable, Swesey Baker and Trolian offer up tips galore. Who knew that the average American uses up to 150 gallons of water per day? Think that’s alarming? Well, there’s a lot more where that came from in this good read. tish norman CAMPUSPEAK • tishnhlywd@aol.com This article isn’t about green initiatives, but it’s so darn exciting we had to include it in this issue! Tish Norman is well known in the fraternity/sorority circle and has spoken at conferences around the world. She’s also the founder of Transforming Leaders Now, Inc., a consulting company that focuses on leadership and personal development. Norman’s article is exciting and inspiring. It will make you think more deeply about yourself and your leadership.
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Do Your Letters Make You a Leader? Understanding Your Purpose in Greekdom by Tish Norman · Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. · Campuspeak
MNXOPRSTUFCYW Alpha, the beginning… On college campuses across the country, Greeks have been shining examples of achievement, service, friendship, scholarship, dedication, excellence, leadership, and success. Each organization was founded on common principles like education, self-improvement, and service. Advocates, role models, community liaisons, campus leaders, artists, scholars, mentors, athletes, life-changers, and world leaders often experienced their first bite of organized leadership through membership in a fraternity or sorority. Although this may be true, there are also several cases where alcoholics, campus clowns, substance abusers, criminals, good-girls-gone-bad, and students who are on academic probation are also members of our communities. Our membership roles can reflect both the best and worst students from our campus. With that being said, why did you join your sorority or fraternity? What is your purpose in this organization? What are you going to get out of it? With all of the social benefits, mass exposure, popularity, and much more that comes along with Greek membership, ask yourself; “In which category do I fall?”
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ABGDEZHQIKLMN If you are a member of a fraternity or sorority and you do not have the answers to these questions, this article will help you begin to examine or re-examine your purpose in your organization: “Why did I want to do this?” “What am I going to do with this membership?” “Now that I wear these letters, does this make me different from others?” “Am I a leader?” The truth is that there are certain levels of responsibility that come along with sporting your organization’s letters. After all of the recruitment events, teas, bid days, meetings, initiations, intakes, ceremonies, candle lightings, and crossing the burning sands… the moment you put those letters on, it is no longer about you. You are now part of something bigger than yourself. In college, students’ individual identities are formed. Sororities and fraternities start in college, but are lifelong commitments. Your involvement in them can either compliment or tarnish who you are establishing yourself to be. They can be a foundation for campus involvement and most certainly, the start of lifelong friendships. I often ask fraternity men and sorority women to really examine why they joined their respective organization. If you let it, Greekdom is a wonderful chance for you to lay the groundwork for fostering true leadership in yourself and the people around you. “What makes me a leader?” Everyone has the ability to become a positive leader. However, there is a driving force behind your thinking that can either push you forward into a position of influence, or leave you in a stagnant place. So, as members of Greek-letter organizations, we all have the unique opportunity to influence others. The moment you decide to move forward with this purpose, abundant leadership opportunities await you in your chapter, on campus, and in your community. As such, leadership can be demonstrated in various roles. You may not lead your entire chapter as President, but maybe you chair the fundraising committee. You may not take charge of recruitment and membership, but you arrange for speakers to come in for a lecture series. Whatever your role may be within your chapter, realize that it is an opportunity. It is an opportunity for you to unleash and sharpen your personal leadership skills. There is leadership potential that dwells in each and every one of us. It lies dormant until we step out from the ordinary and release it. If you do not tap into that potential, if you do not get involved in chapter activities for those skills to show, how will you know it is there? How will you begin to understand your purpose in your chapter? But more importantly, how will you really make a difference? Let us relate identifying our personal leadership to baking our favorite homemade desert. Like establishing our personal leadership, there are essential ingredients that the baker must include in order to make it come out just right. If even one ingredient is missing, it could compromise the totality of the dish. Consequently, the following are some key ingredients that will help you discover your purpose and make your personal leadership skills effective in your organization.
Vision One of the first speeches I ever gave was entitled, “Motivators Need Motivation.” Its premise was that even those who inspire us need inspiration from some thing or someone. Pastors of churches with thousands of members seek occasional guidance from senior pastors. Well-educated professionals like attorneys and doctors seek on-going training, and of course leaders need some sort of leadership from more seasoned professionals. Why do these people do this? They all have something in common; vision. Vision leads the leader. Visionaries have their sights set on something higher than where they are. Their vision allows them to see past where they are to a better possibility of accomplishment and success. They live in the present, but see up the road as they plan for the future. When your creative imagination allows you to paint a mental picture of that future plan - to actually see it - this is the art of visualization. We all have it, but what we chose to use it for can truly move you into a place of leadership. For example, having a vision that your sorority or fraternity will have the best recruitment/intake season ever can motivate you to work hard at ensuring that happens. Sharing a vision of a new fundraising activity with the executive board that your group can carry out can be powerful. Maybe you see your chapter’s Greek Week activities more successful than last year’s, which can be what inspires you to chair the activities committee. Higher-Level Thinking Leaders are forward thinkers. Real leaders are constantly seeking more knowledge. As a leader, your thinking must be set apart from the masses. So many talented students hold membership in Greek-letter organizations, but do not know what to do with it. How many really maximize their membership? How many take advantage of the information you can gain and the people you can meet from such an experience? It all starts with your thinking. In order to teach, you have to learn. In order to lead, you have to be a follower; a follower of knowledge. Know the history of your sorority or fraternity, so when someone asks, you are able to give them an intelligent, fully-developed response. Know your brothers or sisters and personal things about each of them. This builds rapport and creates a bond of friendship. Have the foresight, not the afterthought to do so. Do not wait for someone else to initiate it. As a leader, step up and step out. Surround yourself with people and resources that will encourage your higher level of thinking. On college campuses, there are intellectuals, books from the library, television shows, documentaries, magazines, films, and internet resources that can enhance and support your style of thinking. Because of their mindset, leaders do not stand in front of a crowd; they stand out in a crowd. Your higher level of thinking allows you to listen to the value of other people’s opinions, but not conform to them. It allows you to make a sound decision that is best for you and your chapter. Gandhi said, “Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep
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MNXOPRSTUFCYW your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.”
your chapter is acknowledged for its last successful event, quite simply, it feels good.
But it all began with your thoughts…what takes place in your mind. Your chapter’s future, its destiny, started with a few great thinkers, and that mindset will be the determining factor that makes it continue to be a positive presence on your campus.
Always remember that people are attracted to others who show self-confidence and believe in themselves. Being sure of your talents, skills, and capabilities, and where you are going in the future speak highly of an individual and reflect how good you feel about you!
Service Fraternity and sorority social events are a lot of fun, but there is much more to being Greek than “getting your party on.” Across the board, service to others is a guiding principle on which all of these organizations were founded.
Legacy Dr. Myles Monroe said “Simply put, a leader is one who leads others into leadership.” This is what I call your “leadership legacy.” When you have graduated, moved on, and your chapter continues to thrive and be a positive group at your university, that is when you will know that your leadership skills were truly effective. Leaders empower those that they lead. They inspire them to reach their full potential, they equip them with the skills, and they empower them to go after it.
It is not a punishment, but actually, it is a reward. Shirley Chisholm said, “Service is the rent you pay while you are here on Earth.” Many sororities and fraternities “pay their rent” by implementing programs are very beneficial to the community in which their university is located. For example, I know of several chapters that have freshman programs, at the beginning of the year, that introduce campus leaders to the freshman in hopes of forming “big sister, big brother” relationships. Freshmen are very impressionable, and this was a great program that would help students become accustomed to their new surroundings. I have also observed Greek-letter organizations sponsor educational programs like breast cancer awareness events, or host athletic competitions as fundraising events. In all, whether it is food or clothing drives, voter registration, or tutoring children, servant leadership is a major part of what Greeks do. Leaders embrace service to their campus, community, nation, and the world, so do your part in making sure that your chapter’s community service endeavors leave a positive lasting impression for years to come. Self-Confidence An effective leader is someone people have confidence in because they have confidence in themselves. This is not to be confused with haughtiness or conceit. Confidence is not based on superficial factors like good looks, popularity, fancy clothes, or a nice car. Self-confidence develops on a variety of levels. For instance, when you are secure within yourself and certain about your abilities, you carry yourself as such. When you are proactive and prepared for an assignment, you feel strong and in charge. When you are late or unprepared, your self-esteem suffers with feelings of inadequacy or doubt. Maintaining your self-confidence can sometimes be a struggle. If you are like me, from time to time, my self-esteem can really take a dive. Friends change, relationships end, performance pressures increase, and…”life” will happen. The upside is you can feel a strong sense of accomplishment when you set and accomplish goals, which will lead to several more opportunities to do the same. As humans, we all have a need for recognition from professors, fraternity brothers, sorority sisters, family, or friends. We want to feel appreciated and accepted. As such, these feelings come when we show confidence in our efforts in completing a specified task. When you receive accolades or
Like over 30 million people across the globe, I saw Michael Jackson’s film THIS IS IT during its record-breaking opening weekend. I was in awe of the entire documentary, but there was one particular scene that stood out to me. A young guitarist from the band joined Michael on stage and she was fantastic! Female, Australian, 22 years young, and she could run with the best of them. After all, she was playing the gig of a lifetime…for the King of Pop! Well, towards the end of the song, Michael repeated, “It’s your time to shine.” She would kick it up a notch, and stretched outside of her own limitations, based upon her greatness that he saw in her. Wow! Still trying to persuade her to “go there,” he repeated, “It’s your time to shine.” Sometimes it takes someone else’s belief in you to really help you believe in yourself. Believe in your fraternity brothers and sorority sisters. Make them feel valued and important. While your involvement in your organization may not last forever, the legacy that you leave will. In basic terms, that is what leaders do. Omega, the ending… Your involvement in your fraternity or sorority is your chance to leave your chapter better than it was when you became a member. It is your opportunity to discover your purpose as an individual and as a member of an organization that is on a much grander scale. It is your chance to empower others, so when you are gone, and you have moved on to higher heights, you know that your chapter was left with some clear examples of true leadership. Your sorority and fraternity is more than singing hymns, wearing your letters, and strolling at parties. It is more than cheers, step shows, and barbeques. While that is a major part of it, hopefully you found an organization that matches your personality and exemplifies where you want to go in life. Hopefully you found a group of like-minded individuals that you can draw inspiration from and establish lifelong friendships. Your purpose, active involvement, and effective leadership within Greekdom can undoubtedly be a springboard to some of the longest lasting and positive interactions of your life.
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Like many Greek organizations, the women of Delta Zeta have always been responsible citizens who care about and are involved in their communities. It is a value that has been embraced by nearly all Greek organizations for many years, and one that is still important today as evidenced from the many philanthropic and charitable programs that Greek men and women lead and support. In addition, many Greek members are leaders on their campuses, in their communities and in their countries. The combination of strong values, leadership capability and passion make Greeks the perfect contingent to not only impact the environment, but to inspire others to follow in their footsteps. Enriching In 2008, Delta Zeta recognized an opportunity to educate its members on the importance of sustainability and preserving our environment. By embracing the Delta Zeta tagline of “Enriching,” Delta Zeta began promoting environmental responsibility throughout its membership, understanding that environmental awareness and action is more than just a Delta Zeta initiative. Through conversations with Delta Zeta leaders across the country and with some creative technology, the online initiative Pink Goes Green (based on the official colors of the sorority) was born. Pink Goes Green aims to work at a grassroots level to improve the environment, educate the public on how they can get involved, and empower people with the knowledge that just one individual can make a positive change in our environment. This virtual initiative can be found at http://www.dzpinkgoesgreen.org. Taking the “Green Pledge” Pink Goes Green encourages all members of Delta Zeta Sorority, including potential new members, collegians and alumnae, as well as Delta Zeta families, friends, Greek communities and the general public to take the “Green Pledge” to practice a lifestyle that enriches our planet. More than 1,250 individuals have taken the pledge, committing to leading a greener life in an effort to enrich the environment. In addition to taking the Green Pledge, Pink Goes Green houses a wealth of information and resources for anyone who is interested in being environmentally aware. Members of the Pink Goes Green online community may create a profile that highlights what they are doing on a personal and global scale to help the environment. Any student, parent, friend, campus leader, or student organization has the ability to post environmental projects they are undertaking at their homes, schools, offices, and/or residence hall rooms and can encourage others to join them. Since the inception of Pink Goes Green, the site has received nearly 32,000 visits. Of these, 26,795 are new visitors and 4,667 are returning visitors. Pink Goes Green receives an average of 42 visits per day and the user views approximately four pages on the site. The home page of Pink Goes Green has received more than 106,000 page views. The site also features a blog which promotes Earth Day, other timely topics (such as “green” holiday shopping, the environmental impact of an earthquake and women and the environment)
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enriching the earth: pink goes green by Mandi Wise Chapter Services Director Delta Zeta Sorority
and some sorority-specific posts. Some members in Delta Zeta’s history were environmental pioneers, such as Rachel Mason Peden, a nationally-known newspaper columnist, author, and environmental advocate. The turtle is the sorority’s official mascot, and as there are many endangered turtle species around the world, this subject, too, has become part of the Green Blog. Members are also encouraged to submit news and blogs, which can be as diverse in subject as green recipes, the best place to find environmentally-friendly cloth shopping bags, and a post from a teacher about how she teaches her young students about their impact on the environment. Greek alumni are also encouraged to lead a greener lifestyle. Many Greek alumni are already influential figures in their communities, professions and in our country — their participation in the green movement can make a significant difference on a larger scale. Alumni members can sponsor community events, projects and guest speakers as well as work with community officials on environmental initiatives.
also publicized in Delta Zeta’s national magazine, The LAMP. People who have signed onto the site receive e-blasts from us. A dedicated e-mail address allows us to answer questions and receive feedback from members. The response overall has been extremely positive. Collegiate members have wholeheartedly embraced Pink Goes Green. The sorority discovered that many of them were already doing environmental projects within their chapters and on campus, and they were thrilled to be able to share these with everyone. In addition, many Delta Zeta alumnae are helping their communities through their alumnae chapters and on their own. Some have shared amazing stories about their careers or volunteer efforts in the environmental area long before environmental advocacy was thought of as crucial to our survival as a planet. Last year, Delta Zeta won a top award for a campaign-specific Web site from the Fraternity Communications Association for Pink Goes Green.
Campaigns and Projects Alumnae who serve within the public sphere, including administrators, politicians, writers and educators, can endorse going green and speak publicly about the importance of environmental campaigns like Pink Goes Green to inform and inspire the public to get involved. The Pink Goes Green Web site is an excellent starting point for anyone who wants to do more for the environment. In addition to features already enumerated, visitors to the site can access a kit to get information on project initiatives as well as Evite cards and Facebook buttons and applications.
Green is More than Just a Word Delta Zeta not only promotes environmental responsibility through Pink Goes Green, but the organization lives it every day. When Pink Goes Green was launched, Delta Zeta went online with their national magazine. The printed magazine is still offered to any member who wants to receive a hard copy. But to be cost-effective and green at the same time, Delta Zeta encourages members to sign up for the online version of the magazine, which is a micro site with the same content as the print version, plus additional features which cannot be published due to space limitations.
The Pink Goes Green movement supports collegiate members to lead and perform community service-related projects to improve the environment and educate those around them about how they can do the same. These projects can be done on a local or even statewide basis to achieve environmental awareness and change.
Initially, over 1,000 people signed up for that option within a few months’ time. Now 2,500 members are receiving the magazine online.
A few examples of how collegiate chapters can make a difference include: sponsoring recycling drives, donating canvas tote bags to grocery stores, publicizing carpooling to campuses, donating to environmental causes, encouraging schools to promote water conservation, and sponsoring field trips with elementary schools to educate children on recycling, nature, air and water quality. Many Greeks on campuses across the US have already taken the initiative to create and promote greening opportunities. For example, at Indiana University, two sorority women started the student organization, Greeks Go Green which is a coalition of fraternities and sororities united to live more sustainably. Greeks Go Green launched the Greek Energy Challenge which is a contest that challenges Greek letter facilities on the Indiana UniversityBloomington campus to be greener by conserving water and energy. To date, 17 sororities and 13 fraternities have committed to the Greek Energy Challenge. In addition, IU’s Greeks Go Green also will be hosting a Green Day this spring. What Has Pink Goes Green Done for Delta Zeta? Delta Zeta publicized the site by sending all members with good e-mail addresses an invitation to visit Pink Goes Green when the initiative was launched. There is a permanent link to the site from the sorority’s main website, and it is
Delta Zeta also moved to soy inks and recycled paper so the organization stays true to its green philosophy. All manuals and member resources, such as chapter training materials, are electronic and available for download via the sorority’s private network. In addition, Delta Zeta does many webinars for chapter leadership training and holds as many Council and official volunteer meetings via phone and/or web conference. The sorority tracks hits to the site, measuring where people are going on the site, and tracking the number of people taking the green pledge. Based on this information, Delta Zeta continues to develop new strategies to keep the Pink Goes Green movement going. What Can I Do? So what can you and/or your campus do to promote going green? You can visit Pink Goes Green at http://www.dzpinkgoesgreen.org to sign the green pledge and get started. Greek leaders can host a Green Week on campus. Invite all students of the campus to participate and provide resources and information about green initiatives and opportunities. Start a “Go Green Club” on your campus if there is not one already. Consider making Earth Day a priority this spring. April 22, 2010 marked the 40th anniversary of Earth Day in the United States. Events and activities are planned throughout the world to celebrate this milestone and to raise environmental awareness. Take action and be a part of this year’s Earth Day celebration by participating in your campus or community Earth Day activities.
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Greeks Go Green:
Building a More Sustainable Future Whitney Swesey Baker, RISE Partnerships, Inc. Teniell Trolian, Kent State University
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE SUSTAINABLE? Debates and reports about environmental sustainability seem to dominate media and academic journals these days. Environmentalists advocate for a shift toward becoming a more sustainable society, but what exactly is sustainability and what does it mean to be sustainable? Sustainability, as defined by the Commission on Environment and Development (1987), is “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” In other words, sustainable living requires that we think beyond today to ensure that our planet can support the needs of the generations that will follow. Just as our fraternity and sorority founders thought ahead to the generations of college student leaders who would come after them, it is our responsibility to consider the impact that our decisions today will have on the future, as well as the impact our society has already had in causing damage to the environment. To lessen this impact, we must first understand the challenges we face and the opportunities that exist to increase our sustainability.
UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUES ENERGY CONSUMPTION According to the Energy Information Administration and Green Econometrics research, lighting consumes the most energy, followed by ventilation and cooling, then refrigeration, computers, space heating, water heating, and cooking (Lighting Consumes Most Energy, 2003). Most people don’t realize that even though their electronics are turned off, unless they are unplugged they are still consuming energy. It is always better to turn off lights, electronics, and appliances, rather than to leave them on, even in an energy saving mode. Most of us don’t even consider how much energy we use when we are heating or cooling our homes, we just adjust the thermostat to fit our comfort requirements. The U.S. Department of Energy says that heating and cooling accounts for about 56% of the energy use in a typical U.S. home, making it the largest expense for most homes. Drafty windows can also increase our heating bills by 30%. Most of us also don’t account for how much energy it takes to heat the water for our daily shower, laundry, or to wash the dishes. Water heating can account for 14%-25% of the energy consumed in your housing (Department of Energy, n.d.). Insulating your water heater and lowering its thermostat to 120 degrees will decrease the amount of energy you are using to heat your water. 012 // connections // 2010 • spring
Appliances and electronics in a U.S. household are responsible for about 20% of your energy bill costs (Department of Energy, n.d.). This can include your water heater, oven, microwaves, washer and dryer, computer, TV, and much more. Even though your appliances aren’t in use they still consume energy to operate clocks and lighting around the buttons. The older the appliance or electronic, the more electricity it will use. WATER CONSUMPTION We waste gallons of water every day without even noticing it. Every time you shower, brush your teeth, wash dishes, wash your clothes, or flush the toilet,
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HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS When you are cleaning you may feel that if you can’t smell the chemicals in the cleaner, that you aren’t getting your belongings clean enough. Well, from the use of those chemicals that are so strong that you can smell them, the air inside of your house can be more polluted than the air outside. Cleaning products that are on the shelves in stores don’t have to list the individual hazardous chemicals they contain, just that they are hazardous. Common household chemicals have been linked to more than 200 health problems including depression, asthma, cancer, birth defects, anxiety, developmental disabilities, and reproductive, immune, and cardiovascular system disorders (Costa, 2008). Students should take note of cleaning supplies, how to use them properly, and what green alternatives exists to heavy chemicals. BECOMING MORE SUSTAINABLE When it comes to being more sustainable and reducing our carbon footprint, there’s a lot to consider. Energy. Appliances. Water. Chemicals. Where should we begin? Surprisingly, a familiar phrase comes to mind: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Reducing our carbon footprint involves the conservation of energy and water, as well as reducing the waste and toxins we are contributing to the environment. REDUCE EcoMall (n.d.) offers these suggestions to reduce energy use: > Turning the temperature down on your furnace, hot water heater, and washing machine and turning the temperature up on your air conditioner, refrigerator, and freezer. Each 10-degree shift can save 400-600 pounds of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere each year. > Replacing air filters on air conditioners and furnaces regularly. Energy is lost when dirty filters prevent air from flowing through them easily; making the air conditioner or furnace work harder to produce the desired temperature. > Replacing the light bulbs throughout your house with energy-efficient fluorescent or compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). Fluorescent lights use approximately 25% of the energy that incandescent bulbs do, and last 10 times longer before they must be replaced. > Selecting energy-efficient models when replacing old appliances. Look for appliances with the Energy Star label to determine which appliances are the most energy efficient for your needs. American Water and Energy Savers (n.d.) makes the following suggestions for water conservation: > Installing low-flow shower heads in your bathrooms. Most low-flow shower heads cost $10-$20 each, but can save you money on your water bill in the long run. > Take shorter showers, and don’t let water run while shampooing or shaving.
you are wasting water. Your toilet alone is responsible for 40% of your indoor water usage. If you have a toilet that is more than 12 years old it may use anywhere from 3 to 7 gallons of water to flush. If you have an older shower head, it can be capable of filling a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds. Americans average using 150 gallons of water per day as compared with 40 gallons of water per day used in the U.K., and 13 gallons per day used in some of the world’s poorest countries. Clean water is a limited natural resource, and scientists predict that we will see water shortages for 36 states for the next three years (Strassmann, 2010).
> Repair dripping faucets by replacing rubber washers or other hardware. If your faucet is dripping at the rate of one drop per second, you can expect to waste 2,700 gallons per year. > Run dishwashers and clothes washers only when they are fully loaded or if you modify the water level for the size of load you are washing. You can reduce waste and toxins in your home by: > Buying food in large quantities or in bulk to reduce packaging waste. Many food and other consumer products are easy to purchase this way. Avoiding small individual packages greatly reduces the amount of paper or cardboard that you buy and throw away (Van Dyke, 2010). AFLV // 013
> Utilizing reusable containers like plastic bowls/bins, water bottles, and shopping bags. Store leftover foods in plastic bowls/bins which can be washed, not in plastic storage bags which are usually thrown away after only one use. Rather than buying water or soda in bottles or cans, take a reusable bottle with you during the day. Also, remember to bring reusable bags with you when shopping, or keep them in a convenient place like your book bag or your car. > Using the least hazardous cleaning supplies. Read the labels of cleaners and look for the signal words — caution, warning, danger, poison — which indicate the level of hazard, and use the least hazardous product to do the job (Reduce.org, n.d.). REUSE There are a lot of items in our homes that can be reused before being thrown away or recycled. Use items like wrapping paper, gift bags, or boxes multiple times before recycling them, use the back sides of used paper when printing or making to-do lists, or turn items like bottles into vases or art. You can also make it a point to buy items that have the option to be reused, like rechargeable batteries, food containers, or reusable shopping bags. RECYCLE Almost anything can be recycled, including glass, aluminum, steel, plastic, paper, cardboard, styrofoam, rubber, and wood (RecyclingFacts.org, 2008). To learn about your specific options for recycling in your area, do an internet search of the word ‘recycling’ along with your zip code. Once you have determined what your options are, set up a common container for recyclables in your house, preferably nearby your household trash can. Post a sign that indicates what can be recycled so that everyone who lives in your house is clear about what to put where. You can also recycle e-waste, including computers, cell phones, TVs, DVD players, iPods, and cameras. E-waste not only takes up a lot of room in landfills if it is not recycled, but most e-waste also contains toxic or hazardous elements, such as mercury or cathode ray tubes (DoSomething.org. n.d.). In this tough economy, it is understandable that upgrading appliances and electronics to more energy efficient models isn’t the easiest thing to do at the moment. However, small changes, like changing your light bulbs to compact fluorescents, not only make an impact on the environment, but will cost you 75% less to run than standard light bulbs, and last 10 times longer (Boyes, 2008). Even though upgrades may charge you more money up front, they cost you less in the long term.
When it comes to living in fraternity, sorority, or university housing, environmental damage is magnified by the total number of people in your residence. The compound effects of the group are larger than any one person. However, know that the converse is also true: if you make environmentally efficient improvements to your housing it can have a greater effect on the environment because those improvements will be enacted by a larger group. So, just by being members of fraternities and sororities who live together in smaller environments, we have the ability to create a significant effect on our overall environmental impact (Graham, 2009). IT’S UP TO US As you can see, there are many ways that you can affect change in helping our society become more sustainable. Simple choices can have a large and lasting impact on the environment and the future of our planet, and it is up to each of us to make the right choices every day. When we graduate from college aren’t we supposed to leave our fraternities and sororities in better condition than when you joined them? Why don’t we follow the same rule for our environment? You can start by turning off your electronics and lights, finding ways to make use of reusable items, and start living a more environmentally sustainable life. As fraternity and sorority leaders, we are called upon by our rituals to lead society, and we must, therefore, lead the way toward a more sustainable future. Our fraternal values dictate that we exhibit courage, integrity, leadership, and the advancement of justice; all of which are necessary virtues to addressing the issues of sustainability and climate change. Our founders would have expected it from us, and we should do nothing less than expect it of ourselves. References American Water and Energy Savers (n.d.). Save water 49 ways. Retrieved February 22, 2010, from http://www.americanwater.com/49ways.htm. Boyes, J. (2008). Why Businesses are going green. Retrieved February 19, 2010, from http:// green-business-practices.suite101.com/article.cfm/why_businesses_are_going_green. Costa, L. (2008). Protect yourself from harmful chemicals in cosmetics and household products. Retrieved December 1, 2009, from http://loveyourbody.nowfoundation.org/harmful_chemicals.html. Department of Energy (n.d.). Appliances and Electronics. Retrieved February 21, 2010, from http://www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm. Department of Energy (n.d.). Heating and Cooling. Retrieved February 22, 2010, from http:// www.energy.gov/heatingcooling.htm. Department of Energy (n.d.). Water Heating. Retrieved February 19, 2010, from http://www. energy.gov/waterheating.htm.
When buying new appliances or replacing failing ones, consider an energy efficient model. Right now, consumers who purchase and install specific products, such as energy-efficient windows, insulation, doors, roofs, and heating/cooling equipment in existing homes can receive a tax credit for 30% of the cost, up to $1,500, for improvements that are “placed in service” from Jan 1, 2009, to Dec 31, 2010 (Department of Energy, n.d.).
DoSomething.org (n.d.). 11 facts about e-waste. Retrieved February 22, 2010, from http:// www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-e-waste.
KNOW YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT A carbon footprint is a measure of the amount of carbon dioxide produced by a person, organization, or state in a given time (Time for Change, 2007). Many things you do without even thinking about it create carbon dioxide (CO2). Heating your sorority or fraternity house, using electricity, driving to Starbucks, or using plastic bottles and bags, all emit CO2 in some way. The amount of carbon released into the atmosphere has a significant impact on global warming – more carbon in the atmosphere means a warmer planet, and a warmer planet will bring an ecological imbalance, causing conditions where species of animals and plants can no longer survive.
Lighting Consumes Most Energy (2003). [Graph illustration the Kilowatt-hours per squared foot]. Retrieved February 18, 2010, from http://greenecon.net/obama-energy-efficiencyand-lighting-retrofit/energy_economics.htmlbasics.
Ecomall.com (n.d.). 20 things you can do to conserve energy. Retrieved February 20, 2010, from http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/20things.htm. Graham, H. (April 22, 2009). Sororities can green their lives through sharing and eco-friendly group initiatives. Retrieved February 15, 2010, from http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tv/ wasted/holter-sorority-green-lives.html.
RecyclingFacts.org (2008). What should I recycle? Retrieved February 22, 2010, from http:// recyclingfacts.org/content/what-should-i-recycle. Reduce.org (n.d.). How to reduce toxic chemicals in your home. Retrieved February 22, 2010, from http://www.reduce.org/. Strassmann, M. (2010). America’s dwindling water supply. Retrieved February 23, 2010, from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/01/08/eveningnews/main6073416.shtml?tag=co ntentBody;cbsCarousel. Time for Change (2007). What is a carbon footprint? Retrieved February 19, 2010, from http://timeforchange.org/what-is-a-carbon-footprint-definition. Van Dyke, D. (2010). Waste prevention and recycling at home. Retrieved February 22, 2010, from http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/ReduceWaste/Home/#Reduce. World Commission on Environment and Development (1987). From one earth to one world: An overview. Retrieved December 6, 2009, from http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/42 ares42-187.htm.
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Bowling Green State University Greeks Go Green
Taking Action
During the summer of 2008, the Greek Affairs staff at Bowling Green State University recognized an opportunity within their community. While environmental issues were gaining ground in university policy and practice, the BGSU student body had few opportunities to get on board. After researching the eco-work of Greek students at area institutions like the University of Michigan and Michigan State, a variety of environmental programs were initiated in the BGSU Greek community.
The projects have ranged from small to large the past couple of years, but the most important thing has been the willingness of the Greek community to take steps towards impacting the environmental scene at Bowling Green State University. Their projects have helped to fuel more participation and the beginning of new initiatives. Any Greek community or college campus can take steps in the same direction as our students did. The key is finding a few key members of the community to lead the charge and utilize their passion to incite it in others. The Green Greek Initiative At the start of the 2008 fall semester, Dr. Nick Hennessy, the BGSU Sustainability Coordinator and a former Greek House Director, and Jayne Appley, a graduate student in the Greek Affairs office worked together to implement an eco-experiment coined the “Green Greek Initiative.� Two university housed chapters would spend a month going green by using less electricity and water, reducing the amount of waste they produced, and recycling more. The Alpha Omicron Pi sorority and Delta Chi fraternity volunteered for the program and were encouraged to use creative measures to increase chapter awareness and participation in the project. Data was recorded on a weekly basis to measure waste production, recycling participation, and electricity and water use. After four weeks of the Green Greek Initiative, members of each chapter stated that they had become more aware of environmental issues and would likely stick with their new sustainable habits. Some common practices in the houses, like the use of Styrofoam plates for dinner, had been permanently traded in for more eco-friendly measures. The chapters tripled the amount of recycling that had been taking place in their houses and improved recycling routines to make it a more attractive option for members. Each house reduced electricity use by reminding members to turn off lights and appliances when they were not in use. The chapters posted signs on bathroom mirrors to encourage members to turn off the faucet when shaving or brushing their teeth.
signed up to take part when it starts again during the spring 2010 semester. The goal is to have 12 chapters participate in the Green Greek Initiative and in the future to have all of our housed chapters to be a part of the program in some way. Order of Omega Campus Clean-Up Each semester the Delta Omicron chapter of Order of Omega at BGSU organizes a clean-up to help beautify the campus. The goal is to have students take pride in the appearance of their campus but also to help foster and raise awareness about recycling efforts at the university. Approximately 40 students from the Greek community started the initiative in the spring of 2008, and each semester more and more students take part. The fall 2009 semester saw over 65 students out and about on campus helping to promote a cleaner and greener campus. BGSU Student Green Fee A Student Green Fee was recently approved by the Board of Trustees to be implemented in January 2010. The creation of the $5 optional fee for students was spearheaded by members of the Greek community. They felt the university was in a place to make some substantial changes in the areas of sustainability and decreasing the university’s carbon footprint. One of the key students involved in the initial proposal was Jazmine Bennett, a member of Zeta Kappa chapter of Alpha Phi Omega. She visited Oberlin College in the fall of 2008 to observe the various green initiatives on their campus and also worked tirelessly on researching how other schools implemented a similar fee. Her work, along with others, was integral to the approval and adoption of this fee. The money raised is placed into a fund and students can apply for funding for different green and sustainability projects. The committee overseeing the fund is made up of five undergraduate and graduate students with a few of them being Greek. The goal of the committee and the fund is to empower students to take positive steps to better their campus through sustainability and green initiatives. The initial application period will be starting this fall and the committee is hopeful to receive numerous proposals with many coming from students in the Greek community.
Dr. Hennessy and Jayne did not provide the students with guidelines or tips to help them reduce the amount of energy they used. Instead, they allowed the students to come up with their own methods and techniques to reduce their utility usage and increase their recycling. The program was such a success with the students and the Greek community that more chapters have
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facilitation 411 016 // connections // 2010 • spring
This issue of Facilitation 411 shares basic information on how to make a difference in becoming greener – by giving examples of recycling, kitchen waste reuse, and energy efficiency upgrades. We also convey several programs ideas to help you recruit other students to think greener and introduce them to sustainability concepts. Furthermore, we offer links to other websites for expanded coverage of each topic. These initiatives work best when done in conjunction with a campus Earth day celebration, Greek Week recycling challenge, or community energy efficiency efforts. Oregon State University has a good website that incorporates individual efforts into a larger campus-wide structure: See recycle.oregonstate.edu. RECYCLING Recycling – the no-brainer way to become greener – is easier than ever before. Install recycle bins in your chapter facility or ask your residence hall or apartment complex to do the same thing, and watch your trash bill and amount of trash bottom out. It is amazing how much cardboard and plastic is used in packaging. Add aluminum cans, glass, kitchen cans, and plastic bottles – and that is a lot of recycling items! See www.recyclemania.org for more information on campus recycling efforts. KITCHEN WASTE If your chapter facility maintains a kitchen, look for ways to recycle and reuse. Fryer oil can be sold for biofuel initiatives. Cans and plastic are recyclable. Use dishes instead of paper cups or plates. Food scraps can be sold to local farms as animal feed or donated to city wastewater treatment plants for conversion to methane power. See purdue.edu/boilerbytes/boiler_bytes/ boilerbytes6/food_waste.html Don’t try to tackle large recycling programs on your own - ask your college dining office or local school corporation for assistance. It should be easy to partner with existing programs in your community. ENERGY EFFICIENCY If your chapter maintains a facility, work with your landlord or alumni corporation board to identify savings in heating and cooling costs. Install efficient heating boilers, hot water heaters, and cooling systems. Examine ways to capture rainwater to use for landscaping and lawn watering. Investigate use of solar panels, especially if your campus is located in the southeast or southwest. Install programmable thermostats. Replace single-pane windows with new insulated frames and double-pane glass. Examine doors and install new seals to prevent drafts. In bathrooms, install low-flow showerheads to reduce water waste. Make sure kitchen appliances and laundry machines are energy-star rated and purchase the best unit for your chapter’s needs. And don’t forget about televisions and computer monitors: plasma units consume more energy than LCDs. Learn more about making your home energy efficient from Touchstone Energy Cooperatives website, togetherwesave.com.
PROGRAMMING IDEAS Residence Life Cinema, www.reslife.com, offers many activities and ideas to encourage students to make environmentally friendly changes in their routine. Here are a few of their Earth Day celebration program ideas: > Declare “no car week” and challenge friends to walk, ride a bike or hop on public transportation. > Instead of throwing away unwanted items such as video games, clothing, or books, host a trade day and promote reuse of items. > Don’t buy bottled water – instead use tap filters and promote reusable water containers. > Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy saving bulbs. > Recycle newspapers instead of throwing in the dumpster. > Recycle paper – put containers in the mailroom and computer room. > Unplug computers and televisions that are not in use – even when turned off, appliances consume energy. Electrical outlet bricks can be used to easily turn off several appliances with one switch. > When practical, wash clothing in cold water to reduce power consumed to heat the water. > Turn off lights – in unoccupied rooms and during the day – use natural light where possible. > Promote use of rechargeable batteries. > Use the stairs next time – skip the elevator when possible. For more sustainable ideas, visit: housing.ucdavis.edu/sustainability/resource_recovery_drive_fall.asp SUMMARY Recycling and energy reduction is good for the planet, good for your community, and good for the financial budget. As a chapter member, promote green activities to magnify “the power of one” by two, 10, even 100 other people. One person can make a difference! Use your voice and programming skills to increase sustainable activities in your chapter and other green initiatives on your campus.
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Q: The small town that our University is located in doesn’t offer glass recycling. We don’t mean to out ourselves, but this means our fraternity (and probably all of the others on our campus) throw away an enormous amount of glass bottles. If we want to recycle glass we need to drive them ourselves to a small city about an hour away…. which no one wants to do. Any ideas? Obviously we could drink beverages out of cans, but we are looking for more than that.
Q:
Travis Says: Many Universities have taken up the cause of going green in recent months as a way to help the budget and show environmental responsibility. You may want to talk with someone in the administration at the university to see if they would be willing to consider the option, and if there is a way you could team up with that process if it exists. When recycling happens in mass it is much more cost effective for all involved, and I am sure your university would appreciate your progressive approach. Brandon Says: Organizations, businesses, and communities throughout the world are working to develop environmentally friendly initiatives such as recycling programs, alternative fuels, and reduction programs. Each of these initiatives and programs started with a small group of dedicated people that built a coalition and encouraged others to join them. I’d encourage you to engage your student government, city government, and campus administration and waste management companies. You may be able to identify: collection points, volunteers to transport, or a company that will provide this service for your entire community. Everything starts with a small group of individuals asking questions, thinking creatively, and identifying others that support their cause.
Our council wants the chapters on our campus to start doing more community service that revolves around green initiatives. But, people seem to think it’s dumb because the only examples they can find for projects is trail and park clean up… which kind of sucks. What are other options?
Travis Says: You could always organize some educational/awareness events to help spread the word to the public about the importance of going green. While not traditional service in the strictest sense, providing educational programs and doing awareness campaigns are a good way to help a cause with action as opposed to money. You could also look into starting recycling programs (see question 1), or even host a competition among fraternity houses, residence halls, faculty members etc. to see who can reduce their carbon footprint by the largest percentage. You could even consider trying to make all council planned events be zero waste events. Phi Theta Kappa honor society has also encouraged all of its chapters to get involved with Green Service events, so partnering up with another organization may be an option for you as well. You can learn more about what they are doing at www.ptk.org/ service. There are also sites like http://www.dosomething.org/ that may have some great ideas and ways to win money while doing it. Amy Says: Check out the National Geographic’s Green Guide for Everyday Living at http://www.thegreenguide.com/. The website has a lot of information about initiatives your council could explore for the fraternity and sorority community to implement as a “go green” project. More than just projects, the council could think about giving a tip of the week to your member organizations about going green. The weekly tip is a way your council’s investment in going green is more than just a onetime project but a continuous commitment to changing the way fraternity and sorority members think about sustainability.
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Brandon Says: Chapters need to identify projects or initiatives that they are passionate and excited about. I completely understand why many members are disenchanted with the classic trash pick-up service project. Heck, the criminal justice system even uses roadside cleanups as a punishment for criminals. Therefore, engage your members in a brainstorming exercise to help identify the skills, abilities, and interests of your membership. Maybe you’ll discover your chapter has several members majoring in engineering or construction fields that have expertise they can share with other chapters or local homeowners. Your chapter could work with conservation experts to create educational programs for community members to learn how to make their homes more energy efficient. The sky is the limit if you are willing to put in the time and effort. The reason everyone goes back to the standby roadside cleanup activities is because they are easy to coordinate and require little thought and skill to execute. Expect more from your members and utilize the collective energy, knowledge, and skills of your chapter.
WANT TO BE AN EXPERT? If you are a professional who has great advice, email publications@aflv.org and let us know that you are interested in being one of our future Experts.
ASK THE Experts
Brandon Cutler Kansas State University bcutler@k-state.edu
Travis Smith Colorado School of Mines travis.smith@is.mines.edu
Amy Colvin Millikin University acolvin@mail.millikin.edu
Q: We desperately need to save money on our utility bills. Sure, we want to be more ‘green’, but our budget is also way out of control. Who do we ask for help on using less energy in our sorority house?
Travis Says: There are many websites out there that cater to individual family units, however Sorority houses have a special difficulty in that there are always people coming and going, and there is rarely if ever a time when the house is empty. Simple steps would include lowering the thermostat a few degrees, lowering the water heater temperature, limiting shower times, putting draft guards by exterior doors etc. For a thorough listing of ways to be more efficient there are experts that can come in and do an Energy Audit, which is a thorough inspection of your house to determine everything from drafts, to leaks and give you a list of ways to save money as a result. They do charge a fee, but should also be able to give you specific feedback to your situation. For a list of things you can do without having to pay for a professional you can visit www.energysavers.gov Amy Says: In the state of Illinois Ameren has a handout that gives energy saving tips for “inside and outside your home, as well as everyday savings” which can be found at http://www.actonenergy. com/portals/0/forms/energy-checklist.pdf. Although the tips are for a personal home a lot of the content can be applicable to your chapter facility. In general, making sure your lights are turned off at night, that members take shorter showers, and that everyone washes their clothes on cold can lead to more money in your chapter budget. Another option is to contact your local power company to have a representative meet with your chapter officers and/ or house corporation to review energy saving tips in your state. Brandon Says: The simple solution to conserve energy is to utilize energy efficient florescent light bulbs, appliances, and fixtures. Implementing simple practices such as turning lights and appliances off when you leave the room, or putting your computer on sleep or hibernate can save your chapter a lot of money over time. Your chapter can also invest in the chapter facility by installing motion sensitive lighting in common areas, replacing all halogen light bulbs, replacing outdated windows, and installing low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators. Americans are looking to reduce cost and increase efficiency which has caused retail suppliers and manufacturers to meet customer needs. The internet is a great resource to find information about products, conservation techniques, and services available. If all else fails, go to Home Depot, Lowe’s, or another home improvement store and ask good questions. They are trained to answer your questions, identify products and services that are helpful to your needs, and they usually know what they are talking about. AFLV // 019
Ohio University Greeks Going Green Ohio University Greek Life, Undergraduate Student Senate, and the Office of Sustainability collaborated in spring 2009 to implement the Greeks Going Green initiative. Student leaders from various organizations developed a proposal for a series of activities that received programmatic funding from Vision OHIO, OU’s long-term strategic plan. Activities included an educational program attended by Greek community members on living sustainably, a zero-waste cookout during OU’s Earth Week and a water and energy-saving competition. Sigma Kappa won the challenge and their house was supplied with several environmentally-friend products including reusable dishes and flatware, water filters and reusable bottles, compact fluorescent bulbs, smart strip surge protectors, and a community bicycle. Chapters also participated in eco-audits to gauge the sustainability level of each chapter house. The eco-audits consisted of a common area survey investigating the sustainability basics of the house: lighting features, types of dishware, refuse and recycling facilities, etc. An individual habit survey measured the tendencies of house inhabitants: the length of time individuals left lights on/off during the day, the duration of showers, and campus transportation habits. Together, these eco-audits provided a quantifiable and qualitative level of each chapter’s sustainability level.
FROM THE ROAD From the Road is a chance to highlight best practices from Fraternity and Sorority communities across the nation. What has your campus done lately that deserves recognition? If you would like to be featured in an upcoming issue, go online to www.aflv.org/ services/connections and submit an overview of a great activity that your council or community has done lately.
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How can Greeks lead the Green movement? Kate Sutphin · Bowling Green State University · Kappa Delta Recycle More Gail Willadsen · Sigma Sigma Sigma I think the best way Greeks can lead the Green movement is by doing it themselves. At our chapter house, we didn’t have a recycling bin until last semester. Just by doing that we were able to reduce the amount of things we threw away. Another great way to do this would be to provide a recycling education event for the campus, to inform and encourage other students to do what they can to help out.
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Leslie Boodry · University of Miami · Zeta Tau Alpha Start using green products and recycling at the houses. Mary Zalinger · Bradley University · Kappa Delta By making all chapters’ houses become green beginning with recycling and conserving energy with energy efficient light bulbs.
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What’s your best “Green” Tip? Rachel Smith · Bradley University · Eta Beta Use electronic billing. Sonya Rhine · Missouri Univ. of Science and Technology · Kappa Delta Our chapter created an Environmental Chair whose duty is to encourage our girls to recycle and provide the means by which to do so. It is also her duty to educate the chapter on why they should recycle and what can be recycled in our area.
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Branding of TCU Kappa Sigma Member Prompts Inquiry Texas Christian University and officials of Kappa Sigma Fraternity are investigating an incident in which a student suffered secondand third-degree burns after being branded on his buttocks during a ski trip. The student… will have to undergo plastic surgery to repair the damage. [The student] was injured on the last night of his fraternity’s ski trip at Breckenridge, Colo. [The student] said that the group drank and got rowdy and that at some point he agreed to allow his fraternity brothers to finish branding the Kappa Sigma letters on his rear end with a hot coat hanger — a brand that was started on a spring break trip more than a year ago. But his fraternity brothers, [the student] said, took things too far. “I woke up the next morning and I was in a lot of pain,” [the student] said. “My whole other butt cheek was destroyed.” TCU issued a statement Wednesday afternoon saying it has begun an investigation. “University policy prohibits harming another student, which would obviously include branding,” [the] spokeswoman said. Besides the fact that getting branded is, in and of itself, completely painful and to most organizations completely outside of everything we believe in, the main reason we are so outraged about this incident is the branded student’s response to it all. Although the student says no one will tell him exactly what happened the night of the branding or who was responsible, he is still trying to take all of the heat for it by blaming himself for being too drunk. If this doesn’t scream hazing from every direction, we don’t know what would. Plus, this was not the first time this happened… they were ‘finishing off’ the original job. What?! Imagine the logical conversation that preceded that event: “Dudes, I am just loving the Kappa Sig brand on my bazooka. I sure wish it had some finer lines though.” “Well, because we’re brothers and we care so much about you, we’d be happy to clean it up for you.” “Thanks, you guys are the best.” “No problem, man. There is nothing worse than having a brand that’s just not what you wanted.” “Right… and it’s our letters, for God’s sake! We don’t want to disrespect the founders!” Let’s get this straight. Branding isn’t funny, it’s not even close to funny. Funny things don’t make us throw up in our mouths. Reference McDonald, M. (2010, January 28). Branding of TCU Kappa Sigma member prompts inquiry. [Electronic Version]. Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved March 12, 2010 from: http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/1927950. html
022 // connections // 2010 • spring
Oregon “Hoodrats” Accused Of Stealing From Frat Members …Two Oregon football players have been accused of stealing computers from a fraternity. It started on Saturday night/Sunday morning when police were called to investigate the theft of two MacBooks and a “valuable” guitar from the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house. No suspects were named in the police report, but rumors almost immediately started swirling on Twitter that [two well known Oregon football players] were the culprits. …The student newspaper is now reporting that a fraternity member called them immediately after the incident… Here’s where it gets, um ... uncomfortable: The Emerald [the University of Oregon’s newspaper] received two voicemail messages from a phone belonging to [a] University sophomore and SAE member early Sunday morning just after the incident occurred. “Hello,” one of the messages said. “Wake up. It’s the story of a lifetime. Jeremiah Masoli and Garrett Embry just stole all my friend’s possessions ... We need a story run on this. Do you understand?” [the second message said}, “They’re a bunch of f***ing hoodrats and we need a story run on this.” So, anyone alive (or at least in college) should know from Texts From Last Night that drunk dials and texts are not only NOT forgotten but – even better – fun to share with the entire world. Maybe, just maybe, calling up the school newspaper isn’t such a hot idea… especially when caller ID is pretty much a given. Hey, it’s 2010, who knew? But, beyond that, what’s a ‘hoodrat’ anyway? Well, we like to do our research and according to UrbanDictionary.com, the term hoodrat has many definitions but they all pretty much revolve around the concept of someone from the streets who has, shall we say, been around the block a few times. Wait! That’s exactly what we were thinking – it doesn’t make sense AT ALL to call an alleged thief a hoodrat. But, remember that part about calling the student newspaper ‘anonymously’? So, here we have a fraternity member - and, therefore, a fraternity - who look like a bunch of jerks and two semicelebrity football players who’ve got a bad rap – and probably a lot of friends - as a result of these people. Now, we certainly don’t know if that rap is deserved or not, but alls we’re saying is that it doesn’t look good from where we sit. Reference Bennett, D. (2010, January 26). Oregon “Hoodrats” Accused of Stealing from Frat Members. [Electronic Version]. Deadspin. Retrieved February 26, 2010 from: http://deadspin.com/5457198/oregon-hoodrats-accused-of-stealing-from-frat-members
University of Florida Chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi Faces Sanctions Following Scavenger Hunt University of Florida fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi is facing a hazing charge for a scavenger hunt that required pledges to collect dozens of items, including liquor, shot glasses, condoms, live goldfish and pictures with sorority members. …the fraternity has “accepted responsibility for the scavenger hunt and agreed that it wasn’t a good idea.” [The spokeswoman] also said the organization has taken action to prevent similar behavior in the future but she didn’t know what that included. The scavenger hunt was for an event at the fraternity house in September. The recruits were required to bring the items to the house, but [the spokeswoman] said she doesn’t know what, if anything, the recruits had to do with the items after that. “I don’t think we know what they were required to do with the goldfish,” she said, referring to one of the stranger items on the scavenger hunt list. To be considered hazing by UF, an activity must endanger the mental or physical health or safety of a student. Though fraternities often require their pledges to perform menial tasks like yard work, she said they probably wouldn’t be hazing unless the circumstances were severe. The thing about scavenger hunts is that they probably started out to be funny harmless things like ‘take a photo kissing the mascot’ and turned into harmful things like ‘break into so-and-so’s chapter house and steal their (liquor, panties, etc.). We’re just not a fan. Plus, with scavenger hunts, no matter how harmless the task, you can never control the outcome. Someone could get injured, kidnapped, or straight out hit by a bus while out ‘hunting’ and then what do you have? Someone hit by a bus in the name of the organization.
BUSTED!
Stupid Things that You Have Done Lately
The goal of Busted! is to call attention to an event, situation, or practice that has actually occurred and utilize it as an experience that others can learn from. It is commonly said that fraternities and sororities suffer from unfair stereotypes and are undervalued for our true purpose as values-based organizations. Unfortunately, some fraternity and sorority members commonly mock these stereotypes by behaving in ways that only solidify them in the minds of others. Busted! aims to confront these stupid decisions via direct confrontation. Actions such as these do nothing but reinforce the negative stereotypes of today’s fraternities and sororities. Embarrassed? Then knock it off. sion]. 1 2 , 2010 cle/20100215/ A R NEWS?p=all&tc=pgall
People seem to throw such a fit about scavenger hunts being called hazing. Folks, let’s take a step back here and do a little observation. Isn’t collecting condoms, liquor, shot glasses, and all that a little wrong? I mean, even if a person’s not the least bit offended by the idea of condoms, liquor and shot glasses (for the record, we’re not), it’s just not classy. And, we’re willing to bet that the pledges weren’t just jetting into their local Mini Mart to pick these things up. Let’s face it, it’s just a really low level of humor. Jokes about sex and getting drunk are just not funny – because any yahoo can make them. Kind of like racist jokes aren’t funny anymore… not like these kind of offensive approaches to humor ever WERE funny, but the simple shock factor is what seems to make people laugh. But, when you think about it, the smarter the joke, the funnier it is. And, you don’t have to be that smart to make a joke about a condom… you just don’t. References Stewart, T. (2010, February 15). UUF frat faces hazing charge. [Electronic VerThe Gainsville Sun. Retrieved March from: http://www.gainesville.com/artiTICLES/100219709/1007/
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one more { thing we know you’re near the end, but we’d love to tell you
Interesting Facts from Pink Goes Green
before you go and look at the back cover of the mag.
DID YOU KNOW: > Running a full load in a dishwasher uses less water than doing dishes by hand?
> Cleaning the coils on your refrigerator every six months can save you $30 a month in energy bills. > Microwaves, crock pots, and pressure cookers use much less energy than electric ovens. > Unplug energy-draining devices (cell phone chargers, AC [alternating current] plug converters, etc.) 80 hours a week and decrease the power drain by 11,500 watts a month. > Some of today’s musicians who are reducing their carbon footprints generated by touring and donating a portion of concert revenue to environmental organizations and efforts are John Mayer, Bon Jovi, Incubus, The Fray, The Beastie Boys , the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Avril Lavigne, and Jack Johnson. > Eating one meal that contains meat is equivalent to leveling 55 square feet of rain forest, or dumping 2,500 gallons of water down the drain. (http:///www.GoVeg.com) > In 1900, the Lacey Act regulated interstate traffic in wild birds in order to stop importation of birds where they had become endangered. Birds, particularly egrets, were being slaughtered on a mass scale to provide elegant plumes for ladies’ hats. (Environmental History Timeline at http:// www.runet.edu/~wkovarik/envhist/) > Our greenest U.S. Presidents were Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, Richard Nixon, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt planted a Victory Garden on the White House lawn in 1943, inspiring millions by her example.), Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson and Abraham Lincoln. (Environmental Graffiti at http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/ and AEI-Brookings Joint Center at http://www.reg-markets. org/admin/authorpdfs/redirect-safely.php?fname=../pdffiles/working_01_091075290781.pdf
> According to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), Americans own approximately 24 electronic products per household. > In 2007, of the 2.25 million tons of TVs, cell phones and computer products ready for end-of-life (EOL) management, 18% (414,000 tons) were collected for recycling and 82% (1.84 million tons) was disposed of, primarily in landfills. (EPA at http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/index.htm) > Scientists say that of the 55 species in the U.S., 25 species are in need of conservation action, and 21 species are protected, or are candidates for protection. (“Half of world’s turtles face extinction, scientists say” – CNN at http://www.cnn.com/NATURE/9908/27/fresh.turtle.enn/index.html) > Production, consumption and disposal of the huge quantity of shortlived products and packaging used in the United States contribute 44% of all U.S. greenhouse gas impacts, according to the Product Policy Institute (PPI). These emissions have a dangerous impact on the Earth’s climate.” (http://www.productpolicy.org/ppi-press-release/black-friday-tarnishesglobe) > A nationally representative survey of 801 women 18 years or older, commissioned by Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) in collaboration with the Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment (WCEE), shows that women want the country to move toward clean energy sources, and more than half (57%) are even willing to pay $30 more per month for it.” (World Wire News at http://world-wire.com/news/0906180002.html) > The Millennials, (born from 1982-2001) believe that it’s their generation, not their parents’, which will help the environment the most over the next 25 years. Already imbued with a service ethic to contribute and give back, the children from this demographic are not only more likely to improve the environment, but “are also willing to impose extra civic duties on themselves to achieve that end.” (Neil Howe and William Straus, Millennials Rising. Vintage Books, New York, 2000.)
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