Mason Continues to Go Green

By Broadside Opinion Columnist Nicole Kukuruda

Every century, a new concept seems to take over political and social discussion. In the 1800s, it was slavery; in the 1900s, it was economic reform; it seems to me that the major battleground for the millennium will be the environment. As the popularity of greening and combating global warming have taken over college campuses, one has to wonder what the whole point is – more importantly – why are Republicans so opposed to it? Who says that greening isn’t occasionally in your market interest?

Nowhere is this point more evident than here at George Mason University. Now, I’ll admit that I often throw my extra papers into the trash and enjoy riding around in my gas-guzzling six cylinder sport utility vehicle, but there are a lot of ways on campus where doing the green thing will save you money. These greening efforts range from more eco-friendly light bulbs, to special shower nozzles which control the amount of water dispensed during times of drought. These changes are due largely to the environmental task force and conservation clubs, the focus under President Merten to make sustainability a priority and the work of student government to make conservation practical.

Some time a year or two ago, the idea of a refillable coffee mug was presented to Mason students and became active in all locations on campus. There was originally some scandal regarding the use of the coffee mug in Jazzman’s, but eventually the cups became a staple item. The cup itself is not expensive and is redeemable for a discounted refill every time you get a cup of coffee. The only drawback to this wonderful item was that students were much more likely to drink a soda than a cup of coffee, but the combination of conservative economic principles and greening didn't end there.

The next major beverage-related scandal on our campus was the decision to charge students for water. As water is an essential item in many people’s daily lives, the student body begrudged the decision to charge. The price for water has also steadily climbed in the last few years, making many students frustrated. According to dining service officials, the reason behind charging for the water was not that you are paying for the water itself, but that the cup you put it in costs money, and the lid and straw cost money, and thus the 30 cent charge began. Sadly, when students tried to refill their personal cups, the dining staff continued to charge them.

Believe it or not, dining is changing. The first change of note is the introduction of the Mason greening refillable water bottle. The adorable green bottle holds 16 ounces of liquid and looks Mason spirited. They are for sale in both convenience stores and run a little under five dollars. The bottles were proposed to Dining Services by student government, and are constructed after the Nalgene water bottle design, making them nearly indestructible.

The coolest thing about this product isn't just how it looks, but the discount you get when you refill it. When you fill your Mason greening bottle with water, you walk away with no charges; that’s right, no more 30 cent charges, and no more guilt about polluting the environment with your non-eco friendly clear plastic cup! With the swipe of just one meal plan, you can purchase the Mason greening bottle and you get unlimited water for the rest of your time here at Mason – or however long you can go without destroying or losing the bottle. There is also a discount when purchasing soda which encourages pop drinkers to refill their water bottle instead of throwing away countless numbers of cups.

This is the kind of conservation that even Republicans can do, much like the free upgrade of personal light bulbs to the high powered energy efficient light bulbs that housing provided last year. Republicans are infatuated with competitive prices and lowering costs for consumers, and nothing is more competitive then offering those who protect the environment a monetary discount. The Mason greening bottle not only saves the planet, but saves your wallet!

Mason greening bottles are available in the convenience stores (Patriot Express and the One Stop Patriot Shop) and cost less than 5 dollars. The bottle also comes with one free soda refill, making the bottle cost less than the stated price.