Connections Archive

Lyndelle Lawrence
Public relations editorial intern

Avondale is encouraging students who celebrated Earth Hour this past Saturday to serve on a committee that will develop a green policy for the college.

The policy, which will come into effect in semester two, will reduce Avondale's carbon footprint by, among other things, raising awareness of more effective electricity consumption. "We will ask for the students' input on how they can play a big part in saving electricity," says Brad Watson, a lecturer in international development studies and a member of the Energy and Environment Committee.

The Student Activities Committee's support of Earth Hour helped. Instead of fluorescent lights, more than 2000 glow sticks illuminated College Hall as part of the social. "We sometimes forget we are in a world that is suffering, and this event helps us come back to reality," says co-leader Rhiannon Bougaart.

Avondale has started making environmentally friendly changes on its Lake Macquarie campus--fencing environmentally sensitive vegetation, placing plants in Avondale Library and the women's residences, and installing water-efficient showerheads in the bathrooms of men's residence Watson Hall.

Credit: Edward Lucas