The possibility of solar powered lighting and high efficiency light bulbs is making campus’s future a little brighter.
With a unanimous vote, Student Senate approved a sustainable lighting resolution that calls for bulbs in dormitories to be replaced with high efficiency ones and solar panels be added to the exterior lighting throughout campus.
“We can’t expect Bradley to become a completely green campus overnight,” said Melissa Wahl, President of the Student Green Electronics Campaign. “But with small steps, like the energy-efficient light bulbs and solar panels, Bradley can make its way toward being a more environmentally friendly university.”
Senate Technology Services and Affairs Chairperson Nicholas Swiatkowski wrote the resolution and said he believes these possible improvements would push Bradley to be a greener university.
“This resolution came about after seeing what other schools are doing to make their campuses eco-friendly,” he said. “This resolution would be a step in the right direction and bring this university to the next level.”
Junior public relations major Sarah Redenius is a member of the Student Environmental Action Coalition and said she is excited to see senate being proactive in order to make the campus greener.
“I am glad to see that senate is so passionate about making sure that Bradley is doing their part for the environment,” she said. “They have been working so hard to make Bradley greener, and I am right there with them.”
Wahl said high efficiency bulbs would brighten hallways in dorms in addition to conserving power.
“Not only do the high efficiency light bulbs give off better light, to brighten up the sometimes dark and creepy dorm hallways, but they are better for the environment because they use less energy,” she said. “This will ultimately save the university money.”
Freshman health science major Elise Andert said she thinks solar lighting on campus is good idea, but changing lighting would make hallways too bright.
“In the middle of the night when I wake up to go to the bathroom, it is nice that the hallways are lightly dimmed,” she said. “High efficiency lights would make things unnecessarily super bright.”
Freshman public relations major Rebecca Nunes said she agrees that high efficiently lights would be too much.
“I don’t like the idea of energy-saving lights being used in the hallways,” she said. “The white lights make me feel like I’m in an insane asylum.”
Freshman health science major Valerie Gotheridge said senate is making some great changes for Bradley’s campus.
“I think its good that the school is trying to make the environment better,” she said. “ I’m all for that.”
