Barnard women recently received an email instructing them to "go green," giving a list of environmentally-friendly suggestions that would save the university money. I'm not really sure this is the right approach. After all, the eco reps have existed well before Sparr announced the diminished endowment. Long before it was fashionable, eco reps encouraged students to engage in "green" projects -- to always choose the green option-- which is not always the cheapest. (See: those expensive lightbulbs. grumph.)

But recently, going green has overlapped with the self-interests of our wallets. It saves energy to turn off the lights when you leave the room, and it saves money! (Of course, there are debates arguing that depending on the number of times the light switch will be flicked, the constant surges of energy is actually worse and more costly than just leaving the lights on to begin with. But that is neither here nor there ...

Given the ensuing economic downturn, do you think that we will be seeing more "green" jargon laced with economic incentives rather than the usual "do the right thing" incentive? (or whatever else hippies lace their propaganda with these days...)

Entire message to Barnard students after the jump.

Dear Students:

I hope this message finds you well as we approach the end of the semester and the usual frenzy of final exams and papers.  Before you all hunker down and prepare to leave campus for the winter break, I wanted to take the opportunity to provide another update about the College during these financially troubling times.

Like nearly every college, non-profit group, and individual in the United States, Barnard has been hit hard by the financial turmoil unleashed this year.  As some of you may know, President Spar recently reached out to alumnae, informing them of the adverse effect the economy has had on Barnard's endowment, explaining how reliant the College is upon annual gifts to support crucial expenses like financial aid and faculty salaries, and asking them for their support.  We are pleased to report that our alumnae are responding generously to the call, as they have in previous difficult times, which is perhaps not surprising given the great affection and loyalty felt by many of our graduates for this distinctive and important institution.

Several students have asked me how they can help.  While the primary answer at this moment is simply to focus on your studies and rejuvenate over the break, there are in fact several things you can do immediately to help the College save on energy costs and resources.  These changes will not only save money, but are better for the environment.  For example:

• Turn off the lights in your room when you're not there.
• Turn off equipment including monitors overnight, and set your computers for "sleep mode" when they're not in use.
• Print only what you need, and print double-sided where possible.
• For more great eco-friendly tips, visit www.barnardecoreps.com

We remain committed to sustaining and strengthening our community, and we know that if each and every one of us is mindful of doing our part, our community as a whole can only benefit.  I thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Best wishes for a successful exam period and a peaceful holiday season.

Sincerely,

Dorothy Denburg