Vol. 121, No. 25 Thursday, April 22, 2021

Earth EarthEarthEarth DAYEarthEarthEarth DAYDAYDAY 2021DAYDAYDAY 202120212021 202120212021 Earth DAY 2021

Graphic by Kaleigh Quinnan Page 2 | Thursday, April 22, 2021 Earth Day The Renewable energy programs make waves

By Julia Mertes stakeholders to develop a pro- For the Collegian posal for a company or client for implementation of renewable en- As employment opportunities ergy or sustainability measures,” grow in the renewable energy and Fedkin said. sustainability fields, Penn State’s Additionally, Fedkin said the various graduate programs fo- program allots space for electives cusing on alternative energy op- and track courses that students tions have become increasingly enroll in based on their interests. popular. Derek Hall is an assistant The Online Intercollege Master professor in the John and Willie of Professional Studies in Renew- Leone Family Department of En- able Energy and Sustainability ergy and Mineral Engineering, Systems curriculum consists of who teaches a core RESS class 33 credits and is delivered via as well as energy engineering un- . The dergraduate work. Hall said the program also offers two gradu- program teaches students an ar- ate certificates, focusing on so- ray of information to help them in lar energy and sustainability the ever-changing job market. management policy, respectively. “The goal is different for this The RESS master of profes- course compared to others, and sional studies degree classifica- the content is a little unique as Courtesy of Melissa Manno tion combines the skillsets of well,” Hall said. “The renewable Renewable energy grows every day throughout the world, and Penn State’s graduate programs are working to typical graduate degrees with space is quite large, so I think prepare students for an ever-changing job market. “industry-specific skill sets” that our ability to capture the essence are “directly applicable to the of each of them in small portions program is designed to teach “It was a very fast growth, time,” Eller said. workforce,” according to Penn while still informing the student about the various renewable en- and it’s given us some troubles Eller said he decided to enroll State Energy 2100. about all these emerging tech- ergy options in order to better because we wanted to place our in the graduate program during Mark Fedkin, assistant teach- nologies is especially nice and prepare students for their futures students into the correct cours- the pandemic because working ing professor and core leading unique with the RESS program.” — regardless of the path they de- es, but the courses filled up so as a solar energy sales consultant faculty for the RESS program The program allows students quickly that we weren’t even able made him consider his options at Penn State, said the program to obtain the “breadth of informa- cide to take. to open up additional sections,” differs from other graduate pro- tion” of the various renewable en- Hall said seeing previous en- and what would be “beneficial Fedkin said. grams, allowing students to be- ergy fields that help them enlarge ergy engineering undergraduate [for him] further down the line.” Fedkin said having increased come “well versed in all different their expertise and abilities, Hall students enrolled in the master’s According to Fedkin, while types of energy — not just one said. program is a “happy experience.” application numbers “is a good many people do apply for the type.” Hall said he enjoys the course According to Fedkin, who helps problem to have” since it shows renewable energy graduate pro- “This program is slightly dif- he teaches be- review RESS great interest in both the pro- gram, there are other routes of ferent from the traditional mas- cause “it’s essen- “In the end, it program applica- gram and renewable energy academic study as well. ter of science programs that we tially the whole tions, the depart- efforts. Before committing to the in- usually see in academics because energy engineer- always converges ment has seen Benjamin Eller, a first-year tensive 33-credit program, some it’s heavily focused on practical ing program into some kind of increased under- graduate student enrolled in the students begin by participating skills that people would use in crunched down graduates enter- RESS program, said he decided in a graduate certificate pro- industry,” Fedkin said. into one course,” practical ing the master’s to attend Penn State for gradu- gram, gaining “small credentials Fedkin said the department meaning students assignment or program directly ate work due to the university’s first that can then be transferred tries “to tune [itself] toward the learn pieces of after finishing well-established reputation and to the master’s program later,” job market rather than pure each alternate project their undergradu- the wide scope of focus within the Fedkin said. academics,” which in turn is energy option. development” ate studies, espe- RESS program. After finishing the educational “highly praised by industry “In most tra- cially from Penn “I liked how the courses com- program, RESS graduates have a representatives.” ditional gradu- Mark Fedkin State campuses. mingle a little bit and you don’t broad range of applicable job op- “Most of the courses are fo- ate programs, Professor and faculty for RESS However, have to stay directly on a particu- portunities, and there’s not one cused on practical components you just pick one Fedkin said he lar track,” Eller said. “I also like clear path for all students, Fedkin that provide the necessary tech- thing to focus on didn’t know if the reach that Penn State has said. nical content and also some back- and become an expert in that — the “trend” was caused by the since it’s such a really big and “In the past, you would finish ground knowledge — in the end, it go to the depths,” Hall said. “But “changing job market” with the well-known school.” your nuclear engineering de- always converges into some kind here, we still capture part of the growth of renewable energy or Eller said the asynchronous gree, and you’d go and work in a of practical assignment or project undergraduate framework where the general difficulty some have aspects of the program are ben- nuclear energy plant. If you were development,” Fedkin said. we show them all these different faced while job hunting during eficial, especially since he has a chemical engineer, you’d know According to Fedkin, the mas- technologies and how they relate the pandemic. a busy schedule balancing both the companies that were going ter’s program offers students the to each other.” Fedkin said the last year has work and academic obligations. to hire you. But that’s already flexibility to build their degrees The renewable energy mar- been “hard” since the depart- “Since the classes are asyn- not the case for many majors,” — especially since the program is ket is broad and changes often, ment’s been “coping with a chronous, they let you work at Fedkin said. “Many majors don’t not “overly prescriptive.” according to Hall, so educators surge” of new applicants. He said your own pace — you can go back have that clear path anymore. “We have core courses that never know what information the department received double and review if you need to, you It’s so very blended and a lot is everyone takes, and we have will become “valuable” over each the typical application numbers can do an hour here and an hour built on interfaces and between capstone experiences where student’s individual occupational in the fall and triple the typical ap- there, and the assignments are disciplines. students are engaged in the careers. plication numbers for the spring due at the end of the week, which Visit collegian.psu.edu to read group project and work with real Therefore, Hall said the application period. I enjoy because I can take my the full story. Let’s be blunt: New hemp class to scientific opportunities

By Oliver Ferguson Cornell University. He said he felt “It could be someone who is The Daily Collegian it could attract more students into a business major or someone studying plant science. who is interested in agricul- Many students have likely nev- “It was a long process to get it tural economics,” Kaminski er considered a career path in approved because the university said. plant science, but a new course just wasn’t sure about it,” Kamin- “We feel because hemp is could potentially lead them to the ski said. “It’s a very new plant in becoming such a huge busi- Aabha Vora/Collegian file photo .” ness, the class will attract stu- jackpot. Turfgrass isn’t often something many people consider, but turfgrass For the fall 2021 semester, Penn Kaminski said he approached dents from all throughout the State will offer a course centered Bengyella to be the instructor university.” majors utilize Penn State’s fields to build their futures. around the cannabis plant and the for the course because Bengy- Alyssa Collins, an associate hemp industry as a whole. ella previously worked for a research professor in the Penn The course will be a special top- company in Washington that State Department of Plant Pa- ics course from the Department of produced cannabis legally. Ka- thology and Environmental Mi- Turfgrass science Plant Science called PLANT297, minski said there was a national crobiology, contributed some or Hemp Production, centered search to find an instructor for assistance in the creation of the around the production of hemp, the course, and they felt Bengy- course. She said she also feels laws regarding hemp production ella was a “natural fit” when he this course could provide good major opens doors and business aspects of hemp applied. opportunities for Penn State production. Bengyella said he feels hemp students. By Nick Stonesifer grasses –– because the kinds of According to Louis Bengyella, production could be a very profit- “A course like this will give The Daily Collegian grass they grow down in Florida an assistant research professor in able industry for Penn State stu- [students] a richer understand- are very different than the grass- the department and the course in- dents, and he believes it could ing of the biological sciences in It’s not often people think es we grow in Pennsylvania — if structor, PLANT297 will prepare be worth billions in the next few a way that makes them better about the ground beneath their you want to learn about that… anyone for the industry. years. business people, engineers, feet. you can do that,” Pertrunak said. “It’s really all that you need to “[Hemp production] is some- marketing specialists and citi- To most people, it’s just some- Stephen Campbell has seen start hemp production,”Bengyella thing that generates a lot of zens of the world in general,” thing they take at face value. But how far these internships can said. income if you go into the busi- Collins said via email. for Penn State turfgrass science take students. For two summers, John Kaminski, a professor ness legally,” Bengyella said. Collins said she thinks majors, it’s their livelihood. Campbell (senior-turfgrass sci- and associate head of the De- “I really feel like there is a cannabis courses and cur- Turfgrass science is a pro- ence) had internships with the partment of Plant Science, lot of opportunity, and the ricula can be a “gateway” to gram for students who are National Football League. He said a course could not be students who we have other subjects within STEM, interested in learning about said his first internship was with centered around can- currently in our depart- specifically in plant production. groundskeeping and the mana- the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and nabis in the past be- ment have a “People are interested in gerial aspect of maintaining golf more recently, he worked with cause it was deemed unique hemp and other cannabis courses and sports fields. the Pittsburgh Steelers. illegal. opportu- crops for many reasons, and Students from the major re- During his internships, Camp- However, nity.” plenty of these folks may not ceive many opportunities to bell worked to maintain grounds with the 2018 Bengy- have considered a career in hone their craft by working on like Raymond James Stadium Farm Bill being ella said plant science until they begin local golf courses and Penn and Heinz Field. Campbell said passed, hemp, hemp re- to learn more about it,” Collins State intramural fields — some he believes his connections with- which is can- search said. even work as groundskeepers in the turfgrass major helped to nabis with less a t One aspect Collins noted is at Beaver Stadium. get him in those positions. than 2.3% uni- the course will not be stagnant The turfgrass science pro- Trevor Watson also said he be- THC, versi- because the hemp industry is gram also offers plenty of out lieves one of the major advantag- became ties is “constantly changing.” of state internships that allow es the program offers students legal. Ka- growing. “While the basics will re- students to make connections are the networking connections. minski said He men- main the same, the context across the country, according “Everyone knows everyone at this is what tioned the and information will constantly to Dianne Pertrunak, an aca- Penn State,” Watson (senior-turf- allowed the uni- University of change to reflect the latest demic adviser for the turfgrass grass science) said. versity to start Oregon, Uni- developments in the indus- science major. “You can send someone an researching the hemp plant. versity of California, Davis, try as the market, policy, and Pertrunak said there are email, ‘Hey, I’m studying turf “Our farmers and those get- University of Kentucky, Univer- best management practices more opportunities and intern- at Penn State.’ They’ll say ‘Oh, ting involved in hemp produc- sity of Wisconsin-Madison and progress and mature with new ships available than there are well ok. Come work for me, I’ll tion, whether it be for CBD Montana State University, which understanding,” Collins said. students to fill them. show you everything I do.’ If you or fiber, there’s not a lot of all have programs on hemp Collins added she thinks These internships give stu- tell someone in the turf industry information out there on how to do production. this course could inspire more dents housing during their stay you’re taking the turf program it,” Kaminski said. “This seemed “Universities are now going classes on hemp and cannabis and span across the country. at Penn State they’ll say, ‘Wow, I like a logical solution to meet the completely mainstream with at Penn State. Pertrunak said the internship want this guy.’” needs of both the students and the cannabis production-related “I hope to see subsequent of- opportunities allow for students Watson said he will attend growers in the field.” courses,” Bengyella said. ferings for students to explore to gain experience in all sorts of Rutgers University for graduate Kaminski said he was inter- Kaminski said he wanted to so that we can really prepare climates. school to get a master’s degree in ested in developing a course make the course applicable for graduates to be nimble in an “If you’re interested in golf plant biology, and attributes his around hemp for several years natural science general educa- ever-changing market.” course management, and connections within Penn State to and was inspired by hemp cours- tion credits, because he felt this you’ve always wanted to go his success. es at other universities, like the course could appeal to students of To email reporter: [email protected]. south and learn more about Visit collegian.psu.edu to read University of Connecticut and different backgrounds. Follow him on Twitter at @oliverf2002. managing warm season the full story. The Daily Collegian Earth Day Thursday, April 22, 2021 | Page 3 Sustainable fashion is in style, PSU By Lily Mastrobattista many current environmental The Daily Collegian issues, Corey Steinruck pointed out. Being able to buy trendy clothes “Fashion sustainability to me can be cheap and easy with fast is actually caring about the en- fashion, or rapidly produced and vironment, because the fashion less expensive clothing. industry is one of the biggest But, some Penn State students polluters in the world,” Stein- are straying away from fast fash- ruck (senior-accounting and ion and moving into sustainable entrepreneurship) said. fashion. Margolis said the issue isn’t just Sustainable the pollution from fashion is cloth- “You can not be production, but people are more ing that holds a sustainable if longer life span, likely to throw with quality that you don’t care or away clothes made from cheap can last multiple know about the years rather than fabric. multiple wears. companies you’re However, sus- tainability still It’s also more buying from or care allows you to eco-friendly wear and em- overall. about the impact brace your style, A huge part you’re making.” according to of sustainable Emily Margolis Steinruck. fashion, as stu- “I believe senior-marketing dent Emily Mar- that [sustain- golis pointed able fashion] is out, is know- still being able ing and understanding to express your creativity but where your clothes are also having the correct mindset Courtesy of Emily Margolis and Corey Steinruck coming from. and adjustment toward [being Emily Margolis (left) and Corey Steinruck showcase their sustainable outfits, which they tailored to meet “To me, fashion sustainability sustainable],” Steinrick said. seasonal color trends. Clothing sustainability can be difficult for college students to achieve, according to both. means — just at the bare mini- For Krista Chen, fashion sus- mum — [educating] yourself,” tainability means being aware of trend, she said she can often However, being sustainable Margolis said. “Not many people Margolis (senior-marketing) said. her “carbon footprint” in terms of avoid buying unsustainable isn’t always the cheaper option have the time to go thrift, and not “You can not be sustainable if you buying clothing. when shopping for new items. clothing. many people have the money to don’t care or know about the com- Chen (freshman-advertising) “Weighing if a trend is really As Chen put it, “budgets do not panies you’re buying from or care said she looks at the pros and something I want to participate always allow you to be trendy and spend at sustainable places.” about the impact you’re making.” cons before hopping on a trend. in is something I do,” Chen said. sustainable at the same time.” As the trend of thrifting contin- Fast fashion contributes to By looking more closely at the “I think a lot of it is just knowing Clothing made with a high ues to grow and the awareness what styles will pass and what quality fabric and of sustainability more time put pieces will stay in my closet for a spreads, students really long time.” into it will have a “Are you really Margolis said she tries to stay higher price tag going to buy a $10 like Steinruck away from following all trends. compared to a said they hope to “I try to tell myself to stop plac- fast fashion item. shirt and wear it see more brands ing importance on the congested “Fast fashion once or a $25 shirt and companies is able to create newness — having that mindset change their shift as a generation could also be clothing for so and wear it for two helpful,” Margolis said. cheap that you years?” habits to follow To Steinruck, thrifting and buy- almost can’t get sustainable ing used clothing is another way away from that,” Corey Steinruck ideals. to stay sustainable. Stienreick said. senior-accounting and “Sustainable “That’s where, I entrepreneurship “Thrifting ties into sustainable fashion is boom- [fashion] because [the clothes think, we have a were] already produced,” Stein- little bit of strug- ing right now, so ruck said. “It is loving something gle because we’re all in college.” certain corporations, I think, are else that was already loved.” Margolis said students should changing,” Steinruck said. “Are Sage Kugler agreed with never feel guilty for not being you really going to buy a $10 shirt sustainable, because they “can’t Steinruck, emphasizing the and wear it once or a $25 shirt and importance of buying used always be a perfect consumer” clothing. even when it’s something they wear it for two years?” Courtesy of Krista Chen “Recycling clothing can give it care about. Krista Chen shows off her sustainable outfit in a photoshoot in a grassy a second life,” Kugler (junior-art “It’s a privilege to avoid fast To email reporter: [email protected]. field. For Chen, analyzing fads and trends helps her to stay sustainable. education and psychology) said. fashion and to go thrifting,” Follow her on Twitter at @lily_mastro23. Local interior designer specializes in sustainability By Victoria Gough paint, which reduces the negative respira- The Daily Collegian tory effects of regular paint, to repurpose Gregory’s furniture. For those looking to make their apart- “It was really important to me that I ment or home beautiful while remaining make as many environmentally-friendly ecologically conscious, one State College- choices as possible,” Gregory said. “She based interior designer launched the only helped me take what I already owned, certified vegan interior design company in and I was able to reuse it and reduce my the State College area. carbon footprint.” Lauren Fay Interiors’ mission is to be Gregory also said Godfrey helped her “ethical, cruelty-free and sustainable,” find “great statement pieces” to decorate according to founder Lauren Godfrey. her space. Originally from Miami, Godfrey began To find pieces for her design projects, working in Student Technology Resources Godfrey said she works closely with other for Penn State in 2013. In October 2019, af- “wellness-minded designers.” She also ter taking classes in design for three years, reaches out directly to companies to en- Godfrey decided to found her own interior sure the sustainability of their products design company. She was partially inspired to pursue and works closely with State College area sustainable interior design after living in businesses. Austria between 2011 and 2013. Douglas Albert is the owner of the Doug- “Their whole culture is living outdoors,” las Albert Gallery in downtown State Col- Godfrey said. “They have an amazing recy- lege. He and Godfrey have worked togeth- cling program, and people think about how er to find original works of art for Godfrey’s to treat the outdoors well.” interior design projects. Godfrey started learning about vegan “Buying local shouldn’t stop at the farm- design through vegandesign.org, which er’s market,” Albert said. “It’s more cru- she said offers an online course on cial than ever for people to support local cruelty-design. galleries and art studios.” Along with minimizing plastic usage and In the future, Godfrey said she plans waste, Godfrey said she aims to be mindful to expand her business within State Col- of how products are made and to share her lege and offer internship opportunities knowledge with the local community. to students in the College of Arts and “There are a lot of things we don’t know Architecture. that go into the process of making furni- Godfrey also said she hopes to spread ture and making pieces,” Godfrey said. the message of “intentionality.” “What is the journey of a product from “I would love to spread the message of beginning to end?” thinking about where your products come Godfrey described her personal style as from and what they’re made of,” Godfrey “welcoming, calming and approachable,” said. “And if they’re really cheap — stop and said she loves to incorporate plants and think about why that might be.” and greenery into her work. However, she said her goal is to focus To email reporter: [email protected]. on the personal needs and styles of her Follow her on Twitter at @victoriaxgough. clients. “I like to make sure that each item has some sort of symbolic meaning,” Godfrey said, “things that are meaningful but that are also beautiful.” State College resident Kate Gregory is a former client of Godfrey. According to Gregory, she was working on a “very tight budget” as a new homeowner, which made the interior design process challenging. How- ever, Gregory said God- frey was able to help her repurpose the furniture she already had using Courtesy of Lauren Godfrey eco-friendly DIY products. The mission of Lauren Fay Interiors is to be “ethical, cruelty-free and The two used Low-VOC sustainable.” Godfrey said she wants to spread intentionality. Page 4 | Thursday, April 22, 2021 EARTH DAY The Daily Collegian Eco-anxiety becomes more common By Brendan Morgan problem when climate change THE DAILY COLLEGIAN is such a contested topic within politics. Eco-anxiety is a term that has Onishi said he believes the de- been gaining more attention nial of climate change for many and traction over recent years, people is not a response to facts, as fears of the effects of climate but a psychological response to change grow stronger. a world that is changing — espe- Eco-anxiety, according to Med- cially for older generations — and ical News Today, is the “fear of can be characterized as a form of environmental damage or ecolog- eco-anxiety as well. ical disaster” based on the predic- “It might partly be because tions of Earth’s future conditions they’re losing the world that they due to climate change caused by knew as a kid, and as an adult, human actions. they’re pushing back,” Onishi While the issue increasingly said. “But if we start to see that impacts many people, younger this is a product of [eco-anxiety] generations — especially col- or maybe even another kind of lege students — are more likely trauma, it allows us to see the to feel the effects of eco-anxiety, other person’s perspective.” according to Peter Boger, assis- When it comes to dealing with tant director for outreach and eco-anxiety, some professors engagement for Penn State’s said discussion in classes about Sustainability Institute. climate change is one way to al- “It creates a real cognitive dis- Rebecca Marcinko/Collegian leviate the effects it has. A group sonance for students to learn Eco-anxiety refers to the fear of environmental damage. “Everyone is suffering it in one way or another,” discussion called “Climate Cross- in their classes, whether it’s [a] professor Mark Sentesy said. over,” led by Sentesy, does just science class or social science this. class,” Boger said. “[Teachers “You can see [eco-anxiety] all feeling of worry that you’re not students thought climate change “‘Climate Crossover’ is trying say], ‘Hey, climate change is real, the way back in Rachel Carson’s doing enough,” Onishi said. was a threat to humanity. to bring climate change discus- it’s important, you should care ‘Silent Spring,’ where she talked “You’re not recycling enough, “While 50% were angry about sions into classes that aren’t just about it. Look at all these ter- about the effects of [polychlori- you’re not cutting enough emis- climate change, 64 or 65% of stu- science classes,” Boger said. rible things that happen.’ And nated biphenyls] and other chem- sions from your daily life or you’re dents felt helpless,” Sentesy said. “This should be something that then [students] turn around in icals killing the birds,” Sentesy eating too much meat.” Sentesy said he believes people cuts across all barriers and that’s every other one of their classes, said. Onishi said eco-anxiety can are inserted into a society where actually going to help with action their faculty aren’t talking about Additionally, Sentesy likened create deep-seated fears about it’s nearly impossible to partici- and anxiety.” it… or doing anything about it eco-anxiety to ancient Greek what will happen to future gen- pate without causing some form Boger said talking about cli- or they don’t see their university tragedies. erations of humanity, leading peo- of climate damage. Even some- mate change and eco-anxiety can changing its behavior in any way.” “It’s the same in the ancient ple to have insomnia or creating thing as routine as turning on a help people “break through” and Boger said this contradiction Greek tragedies where a person division between people who feel light in a classroom or drinking find common ground with others in the classroom can add to a recognizes that they themselves others are not doing enough to clean water from a water treat- on those issues. student’s sense of anxiety, and brought about the horrors and prevent an ecological crisis. ment plant will burn fossil fuels Sentesy said connection students shouldn’t feel like they the terrible events they are now “The person who’s going to be and contribute to the problem, with others is the “number one are “pigeon-holed” into learning suffering,” Sentesy said. “Eco- anxious over the ecological crisis according to Sentesy. thing” people can do to deal with about the environment only in an anxiety is an analysis and inter- is also going to feel badly about “The system is rigged,” Sen- eco-anxiety. environmental science class. pretation of consequences of our the amount they’re doing,” Onishi tesy said. “We are inescapably “Let yourself care and let your- While the term eco-anxiety actions — the ones we can no lon- said. “When they run up against trapped in it. A Herculean effort self grieve and seek others,” Sen- may be new, the idea it conveys ger deny and we are now seeing somebody who… doesn’t think we on an individual’s part is going tesy said. “Talk it out with others. is not, which can be traced back play out.” need to do anything or doesn’t be- to have a minuscule effect on the It’s really important not to be to one of the most famous books Brian Onishi, assistant pro- lieve in climate change, this again overall problem.” alone with [eco-anxiety] because about environmental science fessor of philosophy at Penn can kind of create a very clear The issue of climate change is you’re not alone. Everyone is published in the 1960s, accord- State Altoona, said eco-anxiety sense of division.” a collective issue of humanity, so suffering it in one way or another.” ing to Mark Sentesy, assistant can stem from worrying about Sentesy said in a study of a collective effort is needed to find professor of philosophy at Penn everyday activities. nearly 1,600 Penn State students a resolution, according to Sente- To email reporter: [email protected]. State. “Eco-anxiety includes the in November 2019, about 74% of sy. However, that can be a large Follow him on Twitter at @BrendanMorgan9. Lion Surplus adds new life to used goods By Courtney Benedetto March to August, Rupert said she he scouts for salvageable parts to give to children in Africa. said he regularly stops by the THE DAILY COLLEGIAN has seen less deliveries of used and recycles what he can. The bulk of HUB Dining shirts store to see the “amazing breadth items and metal scraps, which “[We’ve been] getting gold off was just one of what Confer called of things in the warehouse.” Reducing waste, cutting costs she attributes to the halt of many of various computer opponents the “wacky” items the Surplus “I truly love the sustainability and giving new life to old items campus renovations during the like motherboards and CPUs,” sells. model — the idea that these are all happens in one place on pandemic. Confer said. Rupert said she has seen in- things that might have ended Penn State’s campus — the Lion However, Lion Surplus finan- “We collect that over the course ternational currency, cleats with up in a dumpster or in a landfill, Surplus. cial assistant Colton Housel said of a couple months and then send “stinky socks” inside and even and instead, they’re getting a In a warehouse on Services used vehicle sales have increased it in to get recycled.” an airplane come through the chance at a second life,” Souren Road, the Lion Surplus acts as a over the past year. The store sells Housel said the staff business to get sold. said. home to a variety of used items anything from cars to lawn mow- makes sure to reduce Confer, who said Over the years, Souren has found around campus, from old ers and large farming equipment, waste that could be he loves seeing the collected a variety of Penn State desks to used athletic equipment. he said. harmful to the envi- variety of items memorabilia, like a podium and The purpose of the thrift-shop- Housel said the business has ronment by some- come through the old stadium seating signs from like business is to reduce waste been taking in many of Penn times partner- door, said rather the . and give community members a State’s gas-powered machines as ing with Penn than recycling Drawn to the backstories and chance to buy what they need at the university continues switch- State Environ- everything, it history of the items he finds, a lower price, according to Chel- ing to battery-operated equip- mental Health is interesting Souren said he enjoys research- sea Rupert, the store’s customer ment for what Housel called and Safety. to see which ing and reaching out to people support person. “Penn State’s greener future.” “All refrigera- items have who can share more information “We are focused on less waste,” In addition to reselling ve- tors have cool- “another life left about them, like when he pur- Rupert said. hicles, the Lion Surplus takes in ant in them that in them.” chased a Beaver Stadium goal “Anything that can be reused older electronics and will either can harm the envi- According to post pad from the ‘80s. or recycled, we will sell it on our resell parts or fix up computers ronment,” Housel said. Confer, it’s all about Eager to add more items to his floor.” to sell to the community. “We actually have the EHS come “finding the right person” Penn State-themed basement, In prior years, the store held in- Dillon Confer, a computer tech up and remove any coolant from to buy the used items, and long- Souren said he will continue com- person auctions to sell a wide va- at the Surplus, works closely with them so it’s not released into the time customer John Souren has ing to the Surplus for the novelty riety of items, but since the start the electronics and said the main environment.” been that person for nearly seven buys. of the coronavirus pandemic, goal of renewing and reusing Alongside helping the environ- years. “I never know what true Penn Rupert said the staff hasn’t been these items is to keep them out of ment, Housel said the custom- Souren, who graduated from State treasure I might find.” able to host an auction due to the landfill. ers often buy items to help those Penn State in 1990 with a degree public health safety guidelines. After wiping all university data in need, like the time a woman in business management and now To email reporter: [email protected]. Since shutting down from from the computers, Confer said bought 4,000 HUB Dining shirts lives in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, Follow her on Twitter at @courtbenedetto. How students can compost correctly on campus By Courtney Benedetto Lydia Vandenbergh, associate take a little effort” on behalf of McCaughey said the employees The program weighs the food THE DAILY COLLEGIAN director of employee engage- students and faculty to separate at OMPEC have now started sep- waste and keeps track of what ment and education for Penn their waste. arating the office compost from type of waste goes into the bins, To compost or not to compost? State’s Sustainability Institute, With the contamination of the food waste. which according to Sostarecz, That is the question some people reiterated. compost, McCaughey said the This separation of compostable “allows [them] to see patterns ask themselves before throwing “Most students think coffee value of the finished product de- items and food waste is some- where [they] may be wasting re- out their waste. cups are paper, and they’re ac- creases both in terms of money thing Anna Sostarecz, the Food peatedly [so they can] then seek At Penn State, composting ef- tually a combination of paper and nutrients. Services sustainability coordina- those out and eliminate them.” forts start in the dining halls and and plastic,” Vandenbergh said. “You’d see the finished compost tor, said Food Services has been Sostarecz said while compost- end in the facilities of the Organic “They wouldn’t break down, so and you could see bits of plas- practicing in the kitchens for a ing helps eliminate food waste Materials Processing and Educa- coffee cups go in the trash.” tic,” McCaughey said. “[When] it long time. by putting the nutrients back into tion Center, where the compost Vandenbergh said other items would rain, all the compost would Furthering the food waste the ground to grow more food, then makes it way back onto cam- like condiment packages inside settle, but the plastic stuff would reduction efforts, Sostarecz reducing food waste in the first pus grounds, the Student Farm an otherwise compostable food float to the top.” said Penn State Food Services place is more of the issue. and into the community. waste container also contami- To combat the contamination implemented a program called “Reduce, reuse, recycle,” Sos- Ryan McCaughey, manager nate the compost — and “it will issue at the composting site, LeanPath in January 2019. tarecz said. “People think about of grounds and equipment who that as a triangle. I would like to works closely with the compost- encourage [them] to think of it as ing process, said the solid waste an upside down pyramid, a waste management department collects hierarchy with ‘reduce’ at the top, food waste from the dining halls then ‘reuse,’ then ‘recycle.’” and waste from office composting Vandenbergh said to initially re- bins, which then gets tossed with duce food waste, students should leaves and switchgrass from the be cognizant of how much they Arboretum to make the body of buy from the grocery store and the compost. keep track of their leftovers. She Before the compost goes any- said she keeps a list of leftovers where, McCaughey said the on the refrigerator so she knows rows of compost must undergo what has to be eaten first before a screening process to eliminate picking through the other food. the larger pieces of non com- McCaughey said he doesn’t postable material, which is neces- want students to overcomplicate sary to lessen the contamination throwing out their waste, saying of composting bins on campus. compost is food waste. Anything “Office composting can be that can’t be recycled like plastic messy because it’s hard to tell bottles and jugs gets thrown in what’s compostable and what’s the trash. not,” McCaughey said. “If you’re not sure, don’t guess.” Chloe Trieff/For the Collegian According to McCaughey, most of the confusion comes from the Recycling and composting bins located in front of the HUB-Robeson Center on Sunday April 11, in To email reporter: [email protected]. different types of plastic, which University Park, Pa. Follow her on Twitter at @courtbenedetto. The Daily Collegian Earth Day Thursday, April 22, 2021 | Page 5 How to reuse this paper Puzzles By Victoria Gough The Daily Collegian

What were you planning on do- ing with this paper after you read it? Likely, you’ll just throw it away or recycle it. Instead, you could reuse this very paper for a project of your own. In honor of Earth Day, let’s look at some of the best things you can make out of a . Collages The Collegian is chock full of in- teresting words, colorful graphics and beautiful photos. Collages are super easy to make. All you need are some scis- sors, a glue stick and of course, an old newspaper. Cut out pic- tures and words that spark your interest and arrange them into an aesthetically pleasing layout on another piece of paper. Courtesy of Victoria Gough If you want to take it a step together to make blackout poetry making a decorative bowl for your further, add some watercolors and compare what you come up coffee table or nightstand. for a splash of vibrance and a with. All you’ll need for this craft is an mixed-media collage you’ll want A bonus of this activity is that old newspaper, a mixture of water to frame and show off. poetry is a wonderful stress- and glue, paints, paintbrushes reliever and a great outlet for and a plastic or ceramic bowl. Blackout Poetry creativity. Be sure to do this in a well- For those unfamiliar with this ventilated area. art form, blackout poetry is a Papier-mâché Cover your bowl in newspaper form of “found poetry” where you If you have an afternoon to strips dipped in the glue mixture take a marker to a book or news- and wait about a day for it to dry. paper page to create something work on a craft, I suggest giv- ing papier-mâché a try. It’s eas- After it dries, carefully remove entirely new. the dried newspaper and paint it All you need for blackout po- ier than you’d think, and a quick search on Pinterest will yield however you’d like. etry is an old newspaper and a I recommend blues, greens and thousands of ideas. pen or marker. Find some beauti- flowers to keep with the Earth Artists often use this technique ful words and scribble out every- Day theme, but paint it to match thing else to create a poem that is to create impressive sculptures, WORD SEARCH your own personal style. all your own. floats or even furniture. However, © 2021 PuzzleJunction.com Better yet, get some friends I think it’s best to start off with Composting Not the artistic type but still want to reuse a newspaper? Try your hand at composting! No matter if you have a bin or a compost pile in your backyard at home, composting is a great way to reduce waste and keep your gardens green. Combining old with kitchen waste like food scraps and coffee grounds is an easy way to start a compost bin. You’ll end up with a great homemade potting soil to grow your own plants in. If you don’t like my ideas, start looking online for inspira- tion. There’s plenty of tutorials out there that will guide you on how to create your own hand- made, sustainable and beautiful projects.

To email reporter: [email protected]. Courtesy of Victoria Gough Follow her on Twitter at @victoriaxgough. Where to find hidden greenery By Victoria Gough The Daily Collegian

With spring in full swing, it’s about time we shed our winter coats and venture outside to re- member that we’re living on one of the most beautiful campuses in the world. With over 800 acres, Penn State’s campus is home to count- less species of plants and trees — and countless ways to enjoy them. Taking an afternoon to explore Penn State’s flora is a wonderful way to relax, get some fresh air and maybe learn a few things on the way. The Arboretum The Arboretum, located on the north end of campus, is one of the pride and joys of Penn State, as well as an excellent way to Rebecca Marcinko/Collegian experience the outdoors. With over 800 acres of different species of plants and trees, flowers According to Director of Opera- bloom on a sunny day at Penn State. tions Shari Edelson, the Arbore- tum serves as an “outdoor living year-round, it is most beautiful educational purpose: its collec- museum.” during the warmer months. Edel- tion is open for anyone interested. “We pride ourselves on being son said the daffodils are just now Open from 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. dur- a place that is open and welcom- starting to sprout, so she recom- ing the week, the Buckhout ing where you can stroll around mends stopping by in April to Lab’s greenhouse is free for all and have a positive experience, take in all the spring flowers. students to visit. There are even whether the plants are the focus a couple tables available for stu- of the visit or just a backdrop,” Buckhout Greenhouse dents to work among the plants. Edelson said. If you’re in the center of cam- Personally, I think the green- Spanning 370 acres, the Arbo- pus with half an hour to spare, I house provides a great setting for retum contains multiple botani- highly recommend checking out an impromptu photoshoot. cal gardens, a children’s garden, the Buckhout Lab. Lastly, one of the best parts green lawns and hiking trails. © Pappocom According to manager Shawn of the Buckhout Lab is the rack With each area offering some- Burghard, the greenhouse is of small free plants to take as a thing different, I find the Arbo- consistently kept at a balmy 80 souvenir. I took home a Cape sun- retum’s grounds are perfect for degrees, so you can visit it dur- a picnic, a date or a walk to get dew, a carnivorous plant native to ing the winter. It boasts a large southern Africa. some fresh air. tropical plant room as well as Edelson said a brand-new 3.5 multiple smaller rooms housing Other on-campus finds acre pollinator and bird garden flowers, carnivorous plants and You may be surprised to learn will be open to the public by the fruit trees. end of spring. I consider the greenhouse to the University Park campus alone The Arboretum is home to be something of a “hidden gem” has 17,000 individual trees living over 1,100 species of plants, on campus. Even though it has among the residence halls, class- most of which are labeled for always been free, Burghard said room buildings and walkways. easy identification. Visitors can almost nobody knows about it. You can use the Trees of Penn use the Plant Finder web app to I only discovered it recently State web app to easily identify identify nearly every plant at the myself. the species of tree by your dorm Arboretum. Burghard said the greenhouse or your favorite campus hangout. While most people know the primarily serves as a research Penn State is also home to Arboretum for its beauty, it also facility for the university. plenty of outdoor areas ideal for serves an educational purpose Research conducted in the picnics, studying or relaxing. My for the university. Research con- Buckhout greenhouse includes favorite outdoor spot is the Hintz ducted here includes the intro- growing corn with thinner cell Alumni Garden, located in the duction of parasitic plants as well walls with the goal of creating a southwest part of campus. as studies on mammals native to “more efficient biofuel” as well This one-acre garden features Pennsylvania such as squirrels, as studies on the pollination of a bubbling duck pond, a sunny foxes and bears, according to petunias, according to Burghard. field and a gazebo. Edelson. However, the Buckhout green- Visit collegian.psu.edu to read Though the Arboretum is open house does not only serve an the full story. OPINIONMaddie Aiken David Tilli Sarah Andriano Page 6 Editor in Chief Opinion Page Editor Business Manager Thursday, April 22, 2021 Divestment is only the start

ast month, the University greener spaces and forms of Park Undergraduate Asso- energy across the common- Lciation decided to approve OUR VIEW wealth will add to the common Resolution #56-15, setting forth good. So much rural land in a bold demand — Penn State’s Pennsylvania is barren except divestment from the fossil fuel Should Penn State divest? Of course, but other for the cows grazing there. industry in all its smog-tainted Imagine how much cuter those glory. cows would look next to As it turns out, the university avenues and paths exist beyond that option. wind turbines or rows of solar has a small but by no means panels. negligible investment in coal, hopefully open arms. There’s unfeasible. But if radical change another layer of unrealism to And Penn State would not gas and oil, perhaps explaining little reason to attend a univer- is off the table, the student body Resolution #56-15. enter into this struggle alone. why its vision of the future sity that prides itself on impart- will settle for gradual progress When the U.S. Energy Infor- On the contrary, some friends in appears so hazy and short- ing critical thinking, and then instead. Any future that is less mation Administration high places (such as the afore- sighted. In mathematical terms, switch that critical thinking off smeared is a future infinitely describes your state as “a lead- mentioned University of Massa- about 6% of Penn State’s assets when it comes to humanity’s worth striving for. ing East Coast supplier of coal, chusetts Amherst) are enter- lie in fossil fuels. approaching hotbox session. Of course, other public uni- natural gas, electricity and taining the same notions only While Resolution #56-15 is Continuous investment in fos- versities have striven further refined petroleum products to with greater intensity. No man not binding upon the university sil fuels, once the final analysis and committed to unconditional the nation,” relinquishing such (or institution) is truly an island. and administration officials can is applied, only truly invests in divestment. The University of potentialities for profit becomes But in this uncertain climate, ignore it altogether, the propos- one thing: a darker, drier future Massachusetts Amherst and that much more institutionally any effort should be praised to al still ops for concessionary for our children. Rutgers University count unthinkable. the high heavens until the heav- realism. Rather than demand- Climate change requires bold among them. But while we However, Penn State can pur- ens become clear again. ing that all requested processes decisions; Mother Nature was usually expect Penn State to sue various other paths to cli- Franklin D. Roosevelt ended wrap up by next year, UPUA never known for being moder- exceed the bare minimum, the mate cleanliness. Sure, slow but up president four times for a recommends a gradual ate in her actions, and humanity simple fact that these other steady divestment in fossil fuels reason. His advice, to at least approach that aims for total is already doomed if it chooses universities exist in states less could turn into water torture for try something, proves fresh and divestment by 2026. to be moderate in its reactions. intoxicated upon fossil fuels the industry, but other avenues practical as always. Would Penn The resolution should be Total divestment in the short than Pennsylvania does create beckon us. State conjure up his ghost and welcomed with open minds and time frame provided may prove another dilemma, and adds For example, investment in listen?

Cartoons by Kaleigh Quinnan

MY VIEW | Sarah Pellis Appreciate the outdoors

The outdoors is something I Main lawn just to destress a I feel happier on days when provided me a refuge from think people take for granted bit. it is sunny and I get to go out- everything going on in my life. Scan the QR code to download — but with the pandemic hap- The majority of this summer side. I can think and feel better Whether it be with a friend, a Spotlight, the official Daily Collegian pening for over I spent outdoors because there when I am walking in the fresh pet or just by yourself, I app for smartphones. a year now, peo- was not much to do indoors. air. encourage you to get outside ple are appreci- Swimming, hiking, biking and I have gained a greater and appreciate the Earth for ating nature picnicking became my best appreciation for the outdoors what it is. more. friends last summer, and such now with this pandemic, When I was a activities distracted me from because being outside is the Sarah Pellis is a sophomore majoring Collegian Inc., 115 Carnegie Building, kid, I would go the mess of a world we were only sense of freedom we have. in digital and print journalism and is a University Park, PA. 16802 ©2021 Collegian Inc. into the woods living in. It is a way of escaping the columnist for The Daily Collegian. Email behind my I remember in high school realities of how horrible the her at [email protected] or follow her Pellis house, explore how much my junior year eng- past year has been, and has on Twitter at @__sarahp. Board of Editors and make the lish teacher praised Henry Editor in Chief occasional mud pie. I would David Thoreau. I think back on Maddie Aiken come back into the house with that a lot because of how much Editor in Chief Elect dirt all over me, and all I want- Thoreau appreciated nature Jade Campos ed to do was go back outside. and all its beauties through his Managing Editor I have always enjoyed the writing. Lindsey Toomer outdoors. That deteriorated a I have a grander sense of Digital Managing Editor bit when I became an early how important nature is to me Shane Connelly teen and I — not as much as News Editor thought being “I appreciate Thoreau, but to Jade Campos, Megan Swift outside was not the point where it nature even more Sports Editor cool. can be a sense of Andrew Destin As I got to being at Penn State balance for me Andrew Porterfield college, I start- and being in the and for people Lifestyle Editor ed to enjoy the who need it. Jeremiah Hassel outdoors again, middle of the I appreciate Becky Marcinko especially in nature even more mountains. ” Opinion Editor the last year being at Penn David Tilli when we all State and being in Sarah Pellis Photo Editor were forced the middle of the inside. columnist mountains. Lily LaRegina Walking my You never know Multimedia Editor dog with my what the weather Ben McClary parents became a pastime, as will do up here, but being in a To contact News Division: News, Opinions, Arts, Sports, Photo, Graphics, The being outdoors was one of the place where nature is a big Daily Collegian Online and The Weekly Collegian only options of getting out of part of the school, it makes Phone: 814-865-1828 | Fax: 814-863-1126 Cabrina Orvieto/For the Collegian the house at the time. being here and living through a I enjoy a good picnic with my pandemic much more A tree blossoms on Tuesday, April 13 outside the Millenium Science friends. I enjoy going to Old worthwhile. Complex in University Park, Pa. Board of Managers Business Manager Sarah Andriano Business Manager Elect We want to hear from you verification. Letters should be opinion is determined by its als. Penn State students write Mikayla Brennan signed by no more than two peo- Board of Opinion, which is made and edit both papers and solicit Send us your comments on Vice President ple. Members of organizations up of members of its Board of advertising for them. our coverage, editorial decisions Lilly Forsyth must include their titles if the Editors, with the editor in chief During the fall and spring and the Penn State community. Advertising Manager topic they write about is connect- holding final responsibility for semesters as well as the second Scott Witham Email: editorinchief@ ed with the aim of their groups. content. The opinions expressed six-week summer session, The Creative Director psucollegian.com The Collegian reserves the right on the editorial page are not Daily Collegian publishes Mon- Kaylyn McGrory Online: collegian.psu.edu to edit letters. The Collegian can- necessarily those of Collegian day through Friday. Issues are Marketing Director 112 W. not guarantee publication of all Inc., a separate institution from distributed by mail to other Postal Mail/In Person: Abigail Schucker Foster Ave., State College, PA letters. Letters chosen also run Penn State. Penn State campuses and sub- 16801 on The Daily Collegian Online scribers. Business Insights Director Letters should be about 200 and may be selected for publica- About the Collegian Adam Rhoad words. Student letters should tion in The Weekly Collegian. All The Daily Collegian and The Complaints Sales Directors include class year, major and letters become property of Colle- Weekly Collegian are published News and editorial complaints Alex Baker campus. Letters from alumni gian Inc. by Collegian Inc., an indepen- should be presented to the edi- Jill Shuster should include graduation year. dent, nonprofit corporation with tor. Business and advertising To contact Business Division: All writers should provide their Who we are a board of directors composed of complaints should be presented Advertising, circulation, accounting and classifieds Phone: 814-865-2531 | Fax: 814-865-3848 address and phone number for The Daily Collegian’s editorial students, faculty and profession- to the business manager. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays The Daily Collegian Earth Day Thursday, April 22, 2021 | Page 7 Penn State shines with renewable energy By Julia Mertes ber of the Penn State Student for The Collegian Sustainability Advisory Council, said many students don’t know Gabriel Schaefer has been in- about the university’s renewable terested in renewable energy energy projects and sustainabil- for years — but a trip to Iceland ity measures. made his fascination grow even “If we have a quarter of our more. energy coming from the solar While overseas, Schaefer project, then I think students (senior-energy engineering) — should know that and know who is a member of Penn State’s why that’s important,” Hudson Student Sustainability Advisory (senior-energy engineering) said. Council — said he saw the im- Additionally, Schaefer said pacts of increased carbon emis- many students who don’t direct- sions by witnessing the intervals ly study renewable energy and of glacier recedings. Ultimately, sustainability lack knowledge on he said the trip “shifted his global renewable energy options and perspective.” benefits. Schaefer said he knew about “If you’re heavily involved in the climate change and its impacts sustainability world like I am, you before traveling to Iceland, but Courtesy of Mary Grikas hear [about renewable energy seeing it “in real life” put him in In 2019, Penn State partnered with Lightsource bp and signed a 25-year Solar Power Purchase Agreement. options] all the time. If it’s in your his place. Through the solar project, Penn State’s greenhouse gas emissions lowered by 57,000 mtCO2e per year. major, like for energy engineering Peter Buck is an academic pro- or mechanical engineering, you grams manager at Penn State’s environmental incidents, Buck According to the Penn State’s big corporations that obviously hear about that,” Schaefer said. Sustainability Institute and chair said many organizations are Sustainability Institute’s website, contribute a lot to greenhouse “But outside of that realm, your of an intergovernmental solar switching to cleaner energy, and Penn State partnered with Light- emissions,” Schaefer said. “So, stereotypical student who’s not in purchasing agreement working he said these renewable energy source bp in 2019 and signed a with Penn State making the the sustainability world or is not group in Centre County. He said sources will likely threaten fossil 25-year Solar Power Purchase switch to better energies from fos- an engineer may not get as much climate change is a pertinent fuels. Agreement. sil fuels, I feel like that will make a exposure to [renewable energy problem in society that needs to Buck said a 2019 study dem- Mary Grikas, head of commu- difference.” education].” be combated with cleaner energy onstrated that a “significant por- nications for Lightsource bp, said Schaefer said using cleaner Penn State faculty members, options. tion of coal-fired power plants the company built and funded energy at Penn State’s 24 cam- like Jones and Buck, said Penn “Human beings burning fossil are directly threatened by renew- the solar field project in Franklin puses across Pennsylvania would State students have various op- fuels at the rate that we have over able energy development in the County — near Penn State Mont set a good example for the state portunities to learn about sus- the last 200 years has wrapped , such that by 2025, Alto — with investors. She said and other universities across tainability practices through the Earth in a thicker blanket of many coal-fired power plants – a Penn State then signed a power the country. “It’s not just us in courses and programs. greenhouse gases that heats up majority of power plants – may be contract guaranteeing it will pur- Centre County,” Schaefer said. According to Jones, the uni- the Earth and makes the atmo- economically unviable.” chase all the power from the solar “Penn State is all across the com- versity offers various areas of sphere and ocean system more Nick Jones, executive vice projects for 25 years. monwealth, and I think switching coursework to educate students volatile and violent,” Buck said. president and provost at the uni- Through the 70 MW solar proj- over to renewable energy will on sustainability. “Adopting renewable energy versity, said “Penn State leads by ect, 25% of Penn State’s common- make a significant economic and “A critical way to show Penn draws down carbon emissions, example and shows [its] students wealth electricity requirements environmental impact.” State’s commitment to sustain- keeps them out of the atmo- — who are tomorrow’s leaders — are met, and Penn State will save Across the state — especially ability is by offering relevant edu- sphere, and makes it possible the importance of promoting sus- $14 million over the life of the in the Centre County region — cational programs,” Jones said. for us to have a safer and more tainability and being advocates project, Grikas said. there’s been an increased aware- “Through the Penn State World stable climate.” for change for the public good.” Additionally, Penn State’s ness and desire for renewable Campus, students can pursue According to Buck, the world’s According to Jones, the “com- greenhouse gas emission rates energy, according to Buck. bachelor’s degrees in energy and seen increased environmen- mitment” by the university to “ho- lowered by 57,000 mtCO2e per “Ten years ago, almost every- sustainability policy and graduate tal devastation as a result of listic institutional sustainability” year through the solar project, one thought solar power was degrees in renewable energy and increased emission gas rates. is similar to the United Nations’ Grikas said. some weird thing and it wasn’t sustainability systems. We also of- Ranging from the “super-ty- 2030 Agenda for Sustainable De- “[Penn State] wanted a partner going to work in Pennsylvania,” fer graduate certificate programs phoons and the 2017 hurricane velopment, reflecting “globally who would be long-term and do Buck said. “Yet, we get 70% of the in solar energy and sustainability season, which was one of the shared values.” things like make the solar proj- sunlight that Arizona does — and management and policy.” most expensive disaster seasons “Penn State’s strategic plan ects available for research and that’s a lot of sunlight.” Through these programs and in history,” to the “record break- through 2025 cites stewardship make it a living laboratory, bring- Since Pennsylvania receives other measures established by ing wildfires in California, Alaska of our planet’s resources as one ing in Penn State students for large amounts of sunlight, Buck Penn State, Jones said the uni- and Australia,” Buck said envi- of five priorities and ensuring a internships,” Grikas said. said solar energy sources are an versity has been recognized for ronmental devastation has been sustainable future is a key foun- Besides improving the energy increasingly accepted commod- its leadership in renewable en- more aggressive and dangerous dation in the plan,” Jones said via sources powering Penn State, ity. According to Buck, the region ergy. In 2021, Penn State was as carbon dioxide emission rates email. the university also wanted to and state are seeing an increased rated above all other participat- continue rising. Jones said the strategic plan improve “regional economic use of rooftop solar and ground ing Big Ten schools in sustain- “Ticks were once checked by is set to implement the “En- development,” Buck said. mounted solar on houses. ability performance by the As- cold snaps and extended cold pe- ergy 2100” initiative, which fo- According to Buck, Penn State “There’s still plenty of concerns sociation for the Advancement of riods in Pennsylvania, but that’s cuses on the “development of “jumped really far” in sustain- by people about using renewable Sustainability in Higher no longer true,” Buck said. “So, carbon-neutral technologies and ability and energy development energy, and some of those are re- Education. what we see are increased exam- their integration into energy after signing the partnership ally good concerns — but all and According to Jones, Penn State ples of Lyme disease — such that infrastructure.” with Lightsource bp, and he said all, people are eager for renew- also ranked third in the U.S. the Department of Conservation Buck said members of Penn it “quickly became a university able energy in Pennsylvania,” and 35th in the world out of 767 and Natural Resources in Penn- State’s Office of Physical Plant leader in the United States.” Buck said. schools participating in 2020’s sylvania now reports that one of set a 2050 carbon emissions goal Many students said they be- Despite increased recognitions Times Higher Education Uni- the biggest worker’s compensa- to reduce greenhouse emission lieve the solar agreement is of the potential applications and versity Impact Rankings, which tion claims is from Lyme Disease rates at Penn State by 80%, and a beneficial program for the benefits of renewable energy, he said is related to the U.N. because there are so many more one of the ways to meet this goal university — including Schaefer. some students said there’s still Sustainable Development Goals. ticks.” is to switch to renewable energy “Penn State is a big institution room for improvement. Visit collegian.psu.edu to read Due to these devastating sources. and it’s comparable to a lot of Hudson Wagner, a mem- the full story. creates green baseball standards By Max Ralph thought it was good for us to be The Daily Collegian in that position. Medlar Field at Lubrano Park was cutting-edge When Medlar Field at Lubra- when it was built in 2006, and I no Park was erected in 2006, it thought this was only appropriate didn’t just become the fancy new for us to do the same with respect ballpark that housed Penn State to the LEED recognition.” baseball and the State College Lubrano also said he thinks Spikes — it entrenched itself as a the facility serves as a point of piece of history. reference in the community. The $31.4 million dollar invest- “There need to be examples ment became the first LEED- of organizations that take that certified baseball stadium in the initiative. This is a perfect exam- world. ple,” Lubrano said. LEED, Leadership in Energy “If you’re in State College, you and Environmental Design, is point to this as the example now. the most widely used green build- From an environmental stand- ing rating system in the world, point, certainly you can point to and garnering a certification is it as an example of us practicing “a globally recognized symbol what we preach.” of sustainability achievement In addition to being the first and leadership,” according to its LEED-certified baseball stadium website. in the world, the Spikes played Courtesy of Spikes Director of Commu- host to the very first green Minor Medlar Field at Lubrano Park was the first LEED-certified ballpark in the world, a designation recognizing its nications Joe Putnam said the League All-Star game in 2009 as environmental efforts. initiative to have the stadium a part of the now-defunct New LEED certified began at the top York-Penn League. They also concession cooking oil as friendly manner,’” Neri told the can even be cheaper than typical with Spikes Chairman Chuck used their platform to institute possible. Collegian. fertilizers. Therefore, using en- Greenberg. “Going Green” nights throughout On top of those things, the fa- Prior to working with the vironmentally-friendly fertilizer Once the partnership with their regular season. cility was built directly next to Spikes at Medlar Field at Lu- has been a “win-win.” Penn State brass was able to pro- On a trip around the stadium, public transportation routes and brano Park, Neri said he started Now 15 years since Medlar duce the project, the history the some of the aspects that make only had two small parking lots learning about environmentally Field at Lubrano Park came into park made became a “point of up the certification start to stand constructed around the area. In- conscious groundskeeping from existence and received its certi- pride” for the club. out. stead, the project relied on the his first boss when he worked for fication, Neri wants the park to “Building Nearly lots in place for Beaver Stadium the Altoona Curve. keep up with the worldwide move Medlar Field at “If we can maintain a every cor- and the Bryce Jordan Center He said his old boss introduced toward sustainability. Lubrano Park, ner you turn rather than tearing up more land. him to organic fertilizers from en- “We’ve been on the forefront of going green and beautiful, professional to, there’s “Some [practices] are put in vironmentally-safe sources and this for years, and it’s important hopefully mak- baseball field using a green re- place from the start, some are “cultural practices” that reduce that we don’t fall back,” Neri said. ing a positive cycling bin. practices that we have engaged pesticide use. “It’s all around us. We’re on a impact on the limited environmentally- Take a trip in throughout the years, but they “Before I even got here, we college campus with kind of this environment harmful products and through all come together,” Putnam said. were trying to do things a little dif- cutting-edge, green technology. as a result was the men’s “... Creating a building that not ferently than a lot of places were. We’re right in the middle of that, always very im- really just do it the right restrooms, only is part of this campus, but We were trying to be a little more so it’s important that we continue portant from day way, then the you’ll notice gives back to this campus as well environmentally conscious,” that legacy.” one,” Putnam that the uri- — that’s a very big thing.” Neri said. “It just kind of carried In Neri’s approach to the field, told The Daily homeowner can do the nals don’t The green initiatives employed over here. It was cool, because he and his team avoid over- Collegian. same thing and keep require a in the stadium extend well be- we’re a LEED-certified ballpark, watering it to allow the sod to Half of the flush — just yond the physical building aspect so we’re bringing our environ- grow its own roots in addition to namesake for their lawn the same one of many as well. mentally-friendly methods to an avoiding pesticide usage unless the stadium and way.” avenues of Despite not having much in- environmentally-friendly “absolutely” necessary. a donor to the water con- volvement in actually getting the ballpark.” He said they try to give the field project, Anthony Matt Neri servation certification, Senior Sports Turf One of those organic fertilizers “vitamins” to try to keep it from Lubrano, wasn’t Senior Sports Turf Manager employed Manager Matt Neri has made comes from a bit of an unexpect- getting “sick” as an analogy. informed about throughout sure to uphold the standard the ed place — Neri said the fertilizer “Instead of just taking an an- the certification the facility. certification set with his work on he uses most is produced from tibiotic, maybe you need to get a until after the fact, but he didn’t Lights in many areas of the the field. chicken byproduct. Although un- little healthier,” Neri said. Neri have any complaints when it ballpark have automatic, energy- “I thought ‘If we’re going to usual, the key for Neri is that it said he hopes some of his prac- happened. saving sensors that cause them be the first LEED-certified ball- actually works. tices create a larger message for “I thought it was a great idea. to shut off after a certain period park in the world, the least I can The chicken farms have to do people around the world. At that point, we were a leader,” of time with no movement. The do is try to do the field in a little something with the byproduct Visit collegian.psu.edu to read Lubrano told the Collegian. “I club even recycles as much of the bit more of an environmentally anyway, so buying the product the full story. Page 8 | Thursday, April 22, 2021 earth day The Daily Collegian Students weigh in on university sustainability By Ella Castronuovo tHE daily collegian

For Penn State students, eat- ing at the dining halls or the HUB-Robeson Center is sec- ond nature. Students can either order their food to-go or they wait in line buffet style – both of which use takeout containers as a means of packaging the food. Although using one takeout container per day doesn’t seem like much, when thousands of students order food online and wait in dining hall lines, it adds up. Ultimately, many Penn State students said the coronavi- rus has impacted Penn State’s sustainability efforts. Grace Sibley said food waste and plastic waste is a “big concern” on campus right now. “I feel like [Penn State has] definitely taken a step back since COVID-19 just in dining halls and my experience there,” Sib- ley (sophomore-mechanical en- gineering) said. “From a keeping the germs away perspective, it has been hard [to be green].” However, Sibley said the lack of in-person activities like sporting events and concerts on campus has meant there is Graphic by Ben McClary less waste that students are According to some students, the coronavirus has impacted Penn State’s sustainability. “I think there is still a long time to go,” Austin Morey said. producing. Hannah Myers agreed and face, but they are not as sus- halls. “In the dining halls, the campus, so he expects the pro- of stuff has remained the same.” said the coronavirus has “im- tainable as they want other policy is ‘take as much as you gram to be expanded in the next Long (freshman-meteorology pacted everybody’s ability to be students to believe they are,” can fit in one box,’ so all of the year. and broadcast journalism) works green.” Myers said. boxes are styrofoam and imme- Additionally, Dubois said the at a dining hall on campus and “I think it is going to be hard Lauren Groff and Kyle diately get thrown out after and university began utilizing Lean- said it throws out food every [to improve] until we can move Carroll said they have seen there is no way to even recycle path, a food waste tracking night, which he said he believes past the pan- sustainabil- that,” Groff said. service, in the dining halls that “isn’t good for sustainability demic because ity efforts on “The dining hall is a great found the university resulted in efforts.” there is so much “I feel like [Penn campus. place to start because plastic a decrease of 75.15 tons in food “I would say compared to oth- that we have to State has] definitely “I think ef- utensils and styrofoam boxes are waste in 2019. Caroll (senior- er schools, it is definitely a green use single use forts are being a part of everyday life for anyone communication arts and sci- campus, but since we have older plastic for right taken a step back made. I always who has a meal plan.” ences) said he would consider buildings compared to newer now since it isn’t since COVID-19 just see posters in Though the coronavirus af- Penn State to be a “green cam- schools, I would say we are less sanitary or safe. the bathroom fected Penn State Food Services’ pus,” though, because he doesn’t sustainable to them,” Long said. Hopefully they in dining halls and my stalls and in sustainability efforts, sustain- see other schools do as much as Edward Burke said the univer- will be starting experience there... it my dorm, and ability and waste reduction are Penn State. sity makes efforts to be a green to make steps every single “top priorities,” and there are In comparison to other univer- campus but recently has been to more green has been hard [to be trash can is strategies in place or planned sities, Austin Morey and Ethan “focusing on other topics.” routes,” Myers green].” divided into to reduce food waste and sin- Long also said Penn State is “I think especially this year (junior-kinesiol- Grace Sibley plastics and gle-use plastic, according to “pretty green.” with coronavirus, there has been ogy) said. sophomore-mechanical engineering compost, so Penn State spokesperson Wyatt “I think there is still a long way a lot more waste in the dining Myers said everything is Dubois. to go,” Morey (senior-econom- halls specifically,” Burke (sopho- Penn State is very clearly The university implemented ics) said. more-cyber security) said. “[The on a “green- marked,” Groff the Green2Go program for reus- “In terms of things like university should] focus on try- er side” than (freshman- able food containers in the dining all the takeout food and din- ing to package their food in a other universities but be- public relations) said. hall that resulted in a 30% drop in ing, there is a lot of waste more sustainable manner.” lieves it could do more to be However, Groff said he be- polystyrene use. from food and non-reusable eco-friendly. lieves the university can still Dubois said the pandemic has containers, so that has gotten To email reporter: [email protected]. “I feel like they put on a big improve, especially with dining increased takeout options on worse through COVID, but a lot Follow her on Twitter at @ellacastronuovo.