Oklahoma State University (OSU) to Set Up an Eco Village

  Educational institutions have always taken up initiatives to try and propagate eco friendly lifestyles among their students. Oklahoma State University is following the same trend and is planning on incorporating an eco village in its campus. This project will seek to promote sustainable methods of living among students by exposing them to an environment friendly ambiance.

The concept of an eco village

Through this project, the university plans to emphasize on the need to use alternative sources of energy, such as solar panels and wind mills. According to the officials, students need to realize the need to utilize alternative sources of energy, especially when natural resources are available in limited quantities. So, they have made this an essential feature of the eco village project.

The idea of an eco village was proposed by a clinical instructor at the university’s Hotel and Restaurant Administration Department, Philippe Garmy. Garmy confessed that he thought about this idea when he was admiring the beauty of a golf course in front of his apartment. He stated that when he was observing the golf course, he tried to picture his surroundings with more green elements, in comparison to concrete buildings. His idea seemed very impractical at the time, so he thought about merging modern life with green elements instead. In his opinion, it is hard to replace technological aspects completely with eco friendly products. However, if people make an effort, they can incorporate some eco friendly concepts in their houses itself, and this is what an eco village symbolizes.

Eco village – encouraging the use of eco friendly promotional items

Before proposing the idea of an eco village, Garmy did some research on its feasibility. After much thought, he presented this idea in front of the director of Oklahoma State University’s Institute for Creativity and Innovation, Melanie Page. He also presented the idea to the project director of OSU’s initiative, Wake UP and Dream, Jane Talkington, and both these officials were in approval of the project.

During the presentation, Garmy proposed that the university campus can incorporate certain eco-friendly features such as vegetable gardens, raise farm animals, and cultivate orchards as well. He also proposed the use of alternative energy sources while constructing any new buildings within the campus. On the whole, Garmy suggested that students need to be exposed to an organic environment, where animals and plants are given a lot of importance. According to him, this exposure will sensitize the students, as well as encourage them to incorporate eco friendly promotional items in their daily lives.

Source:http://newsok.com/oklahoma-state-university-looks-to-establish-eco-village/article/3731312