For 17 Elon students, going green is not just a state of mind, it’s a way of life.

This year, Elon’s learning community program offered the sustainable living learning community. Housed in the new Colonnades B residence hall, the community is situated within the newest, most “green” area of campus.

Buildings within this area have been partially constructed with recycled materials, stocked with energy efficient appliances and designed to incorporate energy conservation sensors. Elon has even allowed the learning community to keep an organic compost pile within their living quarters.

“Our efforts are more than just a community who happens to have a compost pile,” freshman Aly Poggi said. “We’ve got individual initiatives, community education programs and a few other organizations on campus helping us out.”

Some of these plans include the sustainable living learning community garden outside of the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, an upcoming Haw River Celebration, bringing environmental speakers to campus and offering “green tips” through campus media.

Listeners can tune into the WSOE 89.3 radio show, “Venus Rising”at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays to hear advice on how to become environmentally conscious without breaking the bank.

Members of the community are also focusing on the “little” things they can do to make a difference. Poggi and others are working to get dining halls and campus shops to use cloth bags.

“Many people forget that about the waste bags cause,” she said. “You can’t recycle paper bags once they’ve been bleached.”

Other efforts include coordinating a “Landfill on the Lawn” demonstration, selling “Ways to Go Green” T-shirts and starting an after-school program at Elon Elementary School.

The group also hopes to tackle their laundry by going green. Members are working to get a clothes drying line hung outside the Colonnades. Some are working on having “home-cooked” dinners within the community to help foster green dining tactics.

Community programs don’t stop within the grounds of Elon.

“It’s easy to forget things here in the Elon bubble,” said one learning community member. “We’re going to try to do our part and let you know about local, regional and national scope green movement and activities.”

Members of the community will be going to events in and around Burlington with local company, T.S. Designs. Some members will also head to Washington, D.C. to march with Green Peace. Those interested in helping are encouraged to contact learning community or Sierra Club members.

“You’d be surprised how easy it is [to go green] on your own,” said Poggi. “You don’t really have to try so hard. You just have to be more conscious.”

Reporter: Kristin Feeney - 09/26/07