Cal dorm room shows it's easy being green

Oakland Tribune, Nov 15, 2005 by Kristin Bender, STAFF WRITER

BERKELEY -- University of California, Berkeley, public health student Rachael Robertson is living in what is thought to be the first entirely "green" college dormitory room in the nation.

Every appliance, electronic device and personal care product in her dorm room at Putnam Hall, near the UC Berkeley campus, either uses less energy or is not as hazardous to the environment as traditional goods.

That means her refrigerator, television, DVD player, computer and lamps are models approved by Energy-Star, a government-backed program to help people protect the environment with energy- efficient products.

Robertson, 19, also has an endless supply of environmentally friendly shampoo, deodorant, body wash, lip balm and dish soap.

"I shampoo my hair just like everyone else does. I just use more environmentally friendly products. And when I'm not using my appliances, I turn off the power strip they are plugged into," she said.

That way, no energy is sucked up while she sleeps or attends classes, she said.

The U.S. Department of Energy and Strategic Energy Innovations, an energy consulting nonprofit organization in San Rafael, proposed creating a green-and-clean residence hall, said Judi Quach, assistant project coordinator for the company.

The idea was to give students a model for how to set up an affordable and comfortable dorm room while having a smaller impact on the environment, Quach said.

"We think it's the first all-green dorm room in the country. We've looked around, and we haven't found any others like it," Quach said.

The room will be shown off Nov. 18 in hopes of inspiring more interest in the concept.

"This is something we definitely want other campuses to mimic," Quach said. "It's feasible and economical, and it just makes sense."

In addition to energy-saving appliances and Earth-friendly products, Robertson has a water filter to avoid buying bottled water and uses printer paper made of recycled contents. She doesn't use paper towels or paper dinner napkins, but instead opts to use cloth, she said.

Robertson said she likes helping to save Mother Earth and enjoys the cost savings, too.

"When (students) are not paying for their energy and water, they tend to not think of what they are using," said Robertson. "This is about making them more aware of what they are using and little tiny ways that they can take steps toward being more efficient about their consumption."

The "green room" is the latest in a serious of environmental efforts connected to UC Berkeley and its residence halls, backers said. The campus sports bigger and more streamlined recycling bins. Residence halls have a program to promote sustainability as well as a point-person to answer questions.

Last year, the campus began holding a "sustainability week" to promote and educate students about energy and water conservation, reuse, recycling, consumption and sustainable transportation.

Many products were donated by local retailers or purchased from stores in the community, promoting support of local businesses.

The Green Room, in the Unit 1 Residence Hall complex at 2650 Durant Ave., will hold an open house and tour at 1 p.m. Saturday. Spaces are limited. Students interested in reserving a spot should e- mail BerkeleyGreenCampus@gmail.com.