The Feb. 14 piece “Money talks” was a particularly important one as students should be aware of how budget spending has the potential to greatly affect their experience at IU. While the author correctly raised the possibility of directing funding toward sustainability, the author’s arguments against it were unsound.\n“Is sustainability nearly as critical as raising the quality of our educations?” the author asks. Certainly, as IU is an institution devoted to higher education, the quality of it should come first. However, the money IU could save on energy if the campus were simply run more efficiently could pay for improving the quality of education, as the author advocates. In an IDS article published Feb. 9, Pat Connor, executive director of Residential Programs and Services, said that “50,700 loads of laundry are done on campus each month.” GE’s Energy Star washers use up to 50 percent less water than regular washers. New appliances would pay for themselves relatively quickly with the money saved from efficiency.\nAside from investing in new equipment, simply heating and cooling our buildings more effectively could save thousands of dollars. The Apollo Alliance report on energy conservation in universities found that for each degree of unnecessary overcooling or overheating, the average university spends about $100,000 per year. In my experience, the SPEA building has classrooms that are so overheated, students have opened windows in January. Similarly, Ballantine Hall has classrooms that are so cold students wear sweat shirts during summer and spring classes.\nIU should consider turning to the Apollo Alliance report. Aside from listing, specifically, the money a university saves from better energy use, the report lays out a detailed plan to finance these projects.\nProps to the Kelley School’s Environmental Business Club for raising these issues seriously and for appealing to the economic incentives for environmental care. The club’s work to install motion sensors that turn off lights in unoccupied dorm lounges will save $35,000 in the next 10 years. Following the EBC’s example, we should continue discussing changes for sustainability as money- and resource-saving ventures.
Lucy Frick\nSenior
