In this time of global environmental change, Hampton University has responded by implementing “green” practices. In 1868, when General Samuel Chapman Armstrong founded Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, it was built as an environmentally and economically sustainable campus. Now, HU is reclaiming and reinventing that sustainability to adapt to the 21st century.

During the Spring 2007 semester, HU President Dr. William R. Harvey formed the HU Goes Green committee. The committee, chaired by Doretha J. Spells, vice president for business affairs and treasurer, is made up of faculty, staff and students and has been tasked with making changes to some of the current policies on campus.

“We have been charged to look at resources and make necessary changes when applicable,” stated Spells.

The changes have begun with increasing the number of recycle bins on campus. The quantity of recycle bins on campus has increased from being in 25 percent of the buildings to 100 percent of buildings. Paper, glass, and plastic recyclable items and aluminum and steel cans can all be recycled in the bins. Each bin is labeled with a list of items that can and cannot be recycled. In addition, the university has hired Shred-it, an on-site document destruction company, to handle large bulks of paper from the computer center.

Also, the HU police department recently purchased hybrid cars to replace two of the HU patrol cars. The Toyota Prius Hybrid, an electric mid-size vehicle manufactured by the Toyota Motor Company, was voted as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the most fuel-efficient vehicle sold in the U.S. in 2008. The hybrid police cars will be used for routine patrol, traffic control and emergencies. A third hybrid was purchased for the Office of Admissions. The HU police officers are also being trained to conduct bike patrols, further reducing the number of police cars needed in the fleet.

The committee has also established “green” guidelines for the new construction on campus and the renovation of existing buildings. Also, the University steam plant has implemented using clean coal technologies.

“Hampton University takes pride in being environmentally responsible,” Harvey said. “The establishment of the Going Green committee and its efforts to establish eco-friendly policies on campus, further illustrates the University’s dedication to our community and our environment.”

The discussions about being environmentally responsible continued at the HU Conference on the Black Family. On March 12-14, 2008, the 30th Annual Conference on the Black Family, hosted by the School of Science, focused on environmental issues affecting the black family in the 21st century. The conference called in experts in the field of green architecture, environmental issues in the Tidewater, Va. area, health, climate change and finances.

During the conference, Donald Welsh, EPA regional administrator for Region III, spoke about the negative effects the climate has on humans, especially African Americans. The EPA hopes to expose more HBCUs and minorities to environmental awareness and jobs.

“Black families are strong families and will have a major effect on the global environment,” stated Welsh as he explained the consequences of living in a world filled with pollutants. “African Americans have a higher rate of asthma deaths, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations than other race.”

Welsh stressed that the lessons learned at home would significantly change the environmental culture that is prevalent in many communities. Through the Black Family Conference, the HU community learned that many faculty and students are interested in making HU as environmentally friendly as possible.

Dr. Benjamin Cuker, HU professor of marine and environmental studies, moderated a session entitled “Hampton University Goes Green.” Students from his Spring 2008 general ecology course presented information on a number of different topics including ways HU could initiate additional environmental policies. The class invited HU Provost Dr. Joyce Jarrett, Spells, and other members of the HU community.

Students offered ideas about using more recycle bins on campus and in the computer labs, water conservation, and methods of reducing car travel on campus. The students also mentioned working with green vendors, submitting assignments electronically only, greener food service practices, and promoting walking and cycling on campus. Following the presentations, Spells and Jarrett addressed the audience and presenters with solutions that were being implemented and investigated and ways faculty, staff and students could help the university go green.

Both Spells and Jarrett encouraged students and faculty to do their part by turning off lights and electronics when they leave a room and making an effort to walk on campus rather than drive.

“We will create awareness within the curriculum,” stated Jarrett. “We must all be good stewards and report the needs on campus that we come across.”

Some faculty members are implementing lessons about the environment in their courses. In his ecology course, Cuker requires students to research what their role is in the environment and how they are affecting the world. “It takes a lot more energy to eat meat,” stated Cuker. “We could feed ten times more people on a vegetarian diet. Meat means energy. Students are able to research where they fit in to the equation, study how much of the world’s energy they are using.”

Cuker believes that sustainability can be taught in all disciplines. Political science courses can focus on the policy involved in changing toward greener initiatives, an issue the current administration is facing. Economic courses can look at the investment involved in going green and the cost of polluting the world. Today real economic models are evaluating the consequences of the current global economy. Disciplines in health can also focus on environmental issues including the dumping of medication, asthma and diabetes in the African-American community.

Shannon Chance, HU associate professor of architecture, teaches an eight-credit course that focuses on architectural ecology. Since the Department of Architecture began offering the fiveyear master of architecture degree in 2003, the department has focused second-year students on green architecture. Through the architectural ecology course and design studio, students have learned how to intertwine environmental stability and architecture. Last year students in the course had an opportunity to travel to Italy and observe architectural areas that were built with the mission of preserving farmland. Following the two-week travel course, students were required to create their own design based on similar requirements.

Through the work of the HU Goes Green Committee, the discussions from the Black Family Conference, and implementation of environmental material in courses, HU will continue to make changes and improvements on campus to make sure the University is a good environmental neighbor.

This article appeared in the Spring 2009 edition of “Hampton” The Alumni Magazine of Hampton University

– Naima A. Gethers – Class of 2007