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Director's Perspective

Return to Issue of Jan. 26, 2009

From an individual’s perspective, important issues such as the economy or climate change can seem pretty overwhelming. It can be difficult to imagine that the actions of one person can really have an effect on such daunting global challenges.

But the reality is there are small but significant steps that every one of us can take that, when combined, have a real impact on reducing expenses and increasing environmental responsibility at Kent State. We can all play a role in promoting good energy-saving habits among our fellow faculty, staff and students.

For example, when thinking about your own work environment, consider the following tips:

• Turn off electrical equipment, including computers and printers, when not in use;
• Turn off the lights in any room that’s not occupied, and use task lighting rather than illuminating the entire room when possible;
• Report to maintenance personnel any water leaks, overheated or overcooled spaces and windows or doors that are not functioning properly;
• Ensure copiers are set to energy-saving settings, and utilize network printers instead of individual printers; and
• Lower the base temperature of rooms in winter and raise the base temperature in the summer.

The Ohio Department of Development Web site includes several publications with additional energy-saving ideas. Or, if you have questions or suggestions, please e-mail them to energy@kent.edu.

Together, we all can make a sustainable difference.

Sincerely,

Thomas D. Dunn
Director of Operations
Campus Environment and Operations

Return to Issue of Jan. 26, 2009