With scientific reports saying the environment is deteriorating every day, environmental sustainability has become a high priority. The government, as well as independent corporations, are quickly spending millions of dollars to design cleaner sources of energy, take advantage of renewable resources and produce eco-friendly products.
The obvious benefits are improved health and global conditions, but the question from a business perspective is whether all the money being invested in “going green” is a wise financial decision.
Crystal Tsang, a freshman in biological science, said the investment is absolutely worth it.
“If we’re paying so much money now to maintain landfills and dumps, it will only go up in the future,” Tsang said. “By increasing efforts in recycling and more efficient products, it will cut future costs before they are too great to manage.”
Erin McMurtrie, a junior in chemistry, said she felt similarly on the long term monetary benefits of recycling.
“Reusing is obviously something everyone can do to get more for their money,” she said. “Recycling may not be very financially effective in the short run, but will save money on land and property required for landfills later on.”
“In the future, once landfills are full and we have no place to put trash, it will cost a lot more money to figure out what to do with all of it,” McMurtrie said.
Students have identified other means of saving money and even turning a profit by increasing sustainability.
Daniel Farrell, a junior in biological engineering and computer science and a member of the Quad Area Council sustainability committee, said cutting costs is as feasible as simple as turning off your lights.
“Energy efficient light bulbs pay for themselves within two years and last for even longer,” he said. “As the cost of technology goes down, the ability to pay off the investment increases.”
“As for trash, now that we’re fined for throwing away trash, it is smarter to recycle. Landfills are an incredible cost; you need to buy property, equipment and labor, and a lot of these small costs can be cut by recycling,” Farrell said. “Having to rebuild the environment will incur an even larger cost.”
Nathan Dahlberg, a freshman in philosophy, identified solar energy as a great way to collect dividends through increasing sustainability.
“Installing solar panels costs a lot, but in the long run they more than pay for themselves,” he said. “If individuals do it, they can even start selling power back to utilities for profits.”
David Dean, outreach coordinator for the University Sustainability Office and Office of Energy Management, said there are many ways in which going green can pay you back.
“The University is paid by recycling utilities based on how much recyclables are collected,” he said. “Right now it is not enough to pay for the University recycling program and the extra costs have to be covered by state appropriations, but as the cost of materials goes up, the amount the University is paid for recyclables should also go up.”
As for energy, Dean said despite the large costs for the changeover to more efficient LED lighting, the new lights should pay for themselves in six years.
NCSU is the first university to use LED lighting and Bragaw Residence Hall is the largest fully LED-lit residence hall in the country.
“We have 66 percent savings on our monthly electric bill compared to traditional lighting, Additionally, they are guaranteed to last longer and emit less heat, which allows us to save on our electricity bill for cooling. They also require less maintenance, reducing costs further and allowing those resources to be devoted elsewhere,” Dean said.
