JESSIE HOLEVA/ASST. PERSPECTIVES EDITORRecently for a class I was given a challenge to monitor my usage of water for one week. Then for the next week, significantly reduce the amount of water that I use comfortably in order to help the environment.
I discovered that I am careless. Due to the other results in my class, I discovered we care very little about the extent we excessively use our water resources. Out of 30 people, about five were under the average water usage amount (900-1300 gallons of water a week).
Those 30 people reflect the demographic of college students here at Cabrini.
This year, recycling cans were placed throughout campus in an effort to support the ecosystem by recycling bottles, cans and paper instead of throwing them away.
Cabrini also has automatic water faucets and towel dispensers. The water faucet cuts a person off from washing their hands for too long, thereby conserving water. The paper towel dispensers give away one sheet at a time for students to use.
Let’s face the facts, human beings as a whole use the environment to their advantage. Most of the time they do not stop to think about how much water is swirling down the drain, whether it’s in the sink, toilet or shower drain.
During my study, I noticed in the morning when I went through my daily routine of taking a shower, brushing my teeth, washing my face and making my coffee, I did not think about how much water I used.
Upon concluding the study I realized that odds are I won’t think about any altruistic measures to save the environment unless someone mentions it.
Just because it is almost spring time doesn’t mean I have to suddenly change my routine.
I think that the campus is helping people think less about the measures they have to take to protect the environment by providing easy access to recycle bins.
Otherwise, how long will people like me pay attention to everything I have to do for my part? Just throughout the one part of the year where everybody else focuses on it as well?
Instead of pushing for unrealistic changes in morning routines, I think a good step would be to have a general awareness campaign every month as a reminder for those of us who are too busy to stop and think about the horrible people we’re being towards the environment.
We’re not careless. It’s merely that the majority of the population is misinformed about our own imperfections.
