Author: Jonathan Fitzgerald

Looking back on my time in the Greenbelt community, I feel as if the experience has had a positive impact on me, not only in terms of sustainability but in terms of being a good person as well.

Even though my sustainable project ended up falling through, I believe the Greenbelt as enabled me to make some real change in how I live. When I began life in the Greenbelt, I was not the most sustainable person, and I will be the first to admit that. However, I quickly learned how easy it is to have a real impact on your community and on the environment. I learned that sustainable living is easier than one might think, and implementing simple adjustments to your everyday life can make a large difference. For example, on the first day of class, Dr. Dripps handed out simple tools for us to take that would make us more sustainable. One of these tools was a shower timer, and it is something I use all the time now. I learned simply shortening a shower to under five minutes actually saves a good amount of water. Now I can take an effective shower in under four. In addition, I recycle quite often now. Before living in the cabin I never bothered to. Now I always separate my glass plastics and paper. I even sometimes use some naturally sourced laundry detergent on my clothes when I wash them.

However, when I look back on my time in the Greenbelt I feel that the biggest change came in the sense of community that was developed. Personally speaking, my current roommates have become some of my best friends at Furman. I feel that living around people with a good deal of diverse interests and lifestyles is something that few Furman students can take advantage of. The Greenbelt has given me the opportunity to get to know some incredible people, and I am thankful for that. I hope that the future groups have as good of an experience as the one I have enjoyed.

Jonathan Fitzgerald

As many people know, Furman University prides itself on how sustainable and eco-friendly the campus is. The University has received many accolades and rewards for its continued efforts to make the campus sustainable. At the forefront of Furman’s sustainability efforts are the Greenbelt Community and the Shi Center. The Greenbelt community is a group of students who all live together, and are devoted to living a sustainable lifestyle. The Shi Center is a recent addition to campus, but it has been one of the most successful. Named for former Furman President, David Shi, the Center provides a base for Furman’s sustainability efforts, while housed in a building which leaves virtually no carbon footprint.

While these two communities are an intricate part of sustainability at Furman, the campus is actually much more “green” than people might think. As a student at Furman, I was not aware of the extent to which the University is really sustainable. Furman has done an outstanding job of incorporating green living practices into everyday life here. Below are just a few examples of sustainability efforts which are championed by the university.

1) Sprinklers: Many students often complain about the sprinklers on campus. They are ALWAYS running, and never seem to be watering anything but the sidewalk. However, many people don’t know that the water being used comes directly from Furman Lake. Using this system, Furman is able to reduce the energy and water costs it would otherwise incur by using water from the city.

2) Greenhouse/Plumbing System in Riley: As many students are aware, Furman has an extensive Greenhouse attached to Riley Hall (located across from Geer Residence Hall). However, what most people do not know is that the plants there are watered with treated toilet water from Riley. Inside Riley there is a water treatment area, in which human waste is removed from water then later used in the Greenhouse. The waste is also reused as fertilizer in the Greenhouse. The entire system is closed, so no outside water is ever used in that building!

3) The PAC: Most students know the PAC, and likely will spend a good deal of time there in the four years at Furman. The PAC is one of the Greenest buildings on campus. The roof of the building is covered with solar panels to reduce energy costs. Furthermore, some energy produced by workout equipment in the PAC is converted and used to power the lighting system. So know when you’re working help to stay fit, you’re helping out planet do the same thing!

These are just three of the countless ways in which Furman devotes itself to living in a sustainable fashion. Hopefully now you have a better understanding of just how green the school actually is.

-Jonathan Fitzgerald