Alyssa Tkacik, Guest Writer~
Student-run and faculty encouraged, the Lynchburg Environmental Sustainability Society represents the environmental concern and dedication felt by not only the Lynchburg College campus, but the Lynchburg community itself. LESS has become a way for any who attend LC to become involved and educated regarding the school’s habitat.
President of the LESS, Michael Dunmyer, explained that there are many ways to contribute to the club, stating that “we have the people who are involved in the education aspect and advocacy, and there are also those who are interested in maintaining the garden that we have on campus.”
LESS has not only worked to improve environmental stability on campus but also to work on influencing the community around them. Marches have been attended, politicians have been contacted and the area itself has been changed as a result of these actions.
The college itself has also taken steps toward preserving the environment, which includes the exclusion of trays in the dining hall to conserve water and the replacement of lights with bulbs that were more eco-friendly.
Environmental Science Chair, professor David Perault, considers student involvement to be a huge motivation for these changes and remarks that these alterations “have resulted in a large part from the students.”
Any student can become involved in the process of making LC eco-friendly. Carpooling, making use of public transport and self-education all contribute to conservation of the environment.
LC has “prevented 5,348 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere,” according to the school’s “Energy Upgrades” online page. The college has even included an online “Real-Time Solar Monitoring” panel, which displays the output of the generated power.
Involvement in the society includes not only members, but any students curious enough to join along for an event.