Meghan Riddell empties a container of recyclablesAlumni Hall resident Meghan Riddell empties a container of recyclables into the common room bins.

UWindsor students join green movement in residence

UWindsor students join green movement in residence

It is easy to live green in residence at the University of Windsor, say administrators and residents. Their collaborative efforts make the campus an environmentally friendly place to live.

“Alumni (Hall) was built with a green vision in mind,” says residence life coordinator Jacqueline Mellish.

Facilities staff are now trading electric heaters in residence for furnaces and replacing windows to help make the buildings more energy efficient. And, Mellish adds, they are dedicated to smaller steps as well.

“All the chemicals beings used by our housekeeping staff are all green,” she says.

Students participate in the green movement, too.

“I refuse to pay for bottled water because it’s overpriced and plastic water bottles are bad for the environment,” says Meghan Riddell, a resident of Alumni Hall.

Students have also formed RezRecycles, an on-campus green team working to make the residences greener and more eco-friendly places to live. Its efforts have educated students on how to recycle properly, installing posters over sorting bins and distributing recycling guides in all first-year welcome packages.

This year, the group invited Heather Taylor, the Essex Windsor Solid Waste Authority’s special projects manager, to speak during Welcome Week to teach students about positive recycling habits.

—article and photo by Grace Howes