Sustainability at the ’Ville

Sustainability is constantly being impacted by human life. From driving cars to our daily routines, people have an impact on the Earth’s lifespan. Millersville University recognizes this issue and is working towards becoming more sustainable each year.

Being sustainable can come in many different forms. Whether it is recycling or carpooling, everyone can help make a difference. Kaitlynn Hamaty, MU’s sustainability manager, explains what sustainability truly means. “Sustainability is the ability to maintain or support a process continuously over time. This is very often used in conjunction with natural resources and their depletion as well as their effects on the environment.”

Hamaty also explains that Millersville University made a commitment to sustainability in various ways. From rain barrels and a food forest on campus to the Positive Energy Fund and the University’s goal to be carbon neutral by 2040, the University is ensuring they are contributing to Earth’s sustainability.

As the University’s sustainability manager, Hamaty notes that she is working to help the University make progress. “One area I am currently pursuing is to get an updated greenhouse gas emission impact of Millersville. This will help us tailor our efforts and see where we can have the most impact. We also need to consider possible renewable-energy sources to decrease our emissions and work towards becoming carbon neutral.”

One way MU has successfully reduced the University’s carbon footprint is through the Lombardo Welcome Center. “The building and opening of the Lombardo Welcome Center helped decrease or limit our carbon footprint, as it is a zero-energy building. The center houses many offices and greets all hopeful students and their families as the starting location for all admissions tours and weekend events. Being able to produce all the energy the building needs and additional energy, the Lombardo Welcome Center is a great asset to reducing our carbon footprint,” says Hamaty.

Students are also contributing to the University’s sustainability efforts. Paige Guinther, a sophomore dual-majoring in manufacturing engineering technology, and automation & intelligent robotics engineering technology, is part of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Club. The club is working on a recycling project by placing collection bins around campus in high-traffic areas for students to dispose of their plastic bottles. Once the bins are full, they are cleaned in the Osburn building and sorted based on their color and plastic types. They are then shredded and dyed in different colors to be made into keychains, frisbees, bottle openers and a variety of other items.

Additionally, Dr. Nadine Garner, associate professor of psychology, chair of the Sustainability Committee and faculty advisor for the Sustainability Club, worked with students to create a food forest behind Huntingdon House. Garner explains how a food forest helps keep the campus green. “A food forest provides a natural, self-sustaining ecosystem that is comprised of multiple levels of vegetative growth, from a tree canopy to understory plants and vines. It mimics the multitiered layers of a naturally occurring forest, which sustains itself year-round with limited maintenance needed.”

Stormwater Management students are also making an impact on sustainability. These students installed three rain barrels around campus, including one by the Cambria House and another by the Fulton House, to support the raised garden beds and food forest behind the Bedford House.

In addition to the Lombardo Welcome Center and student-led projects, Millersville University, West Chester University and Slippery Rock University are looking into partnering with Penn State Facilities Engineering Institute for a retail power purchase agreement for “green” energy. Hamaty explains what this partnership means. “Power purchasing agreements are long-term contracts between a consumer and a company to provide power or electricity to the consumer at a predetermined rate. The goal of these agreements is to find renewable energy sources and secure an agreed-upon fee for electricity usage well into the future. The energy produced by this renewable-energy infrastructure will go into the power grid and offset the energy we pull out from the grid.”

One campus project is making an important local impact: the Positive Energy Fund. This grant program is sponsored by building energy savings from the Lombardo Welcome Center and other energy-related savings. “The purpose of the fund is to raise awareness of the interconnected economic, social and environmental challenges confronting the world and to accelerate local solutions. Faculty, staff and students can apply to receive up to $2,500 for projects that advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” Hamaty explains.

The fund helps to support other local sustainability projects, in turn allowing faculty, staff and students to put their work into action at the community level. Since its start in 2020, the Positive Energy Fund has funded 22 projects.

One notable project was completed by Dr. Dominique Didier, a biology professor at MU. This project started from Didier’s community service work with Homefields and Homefields Care Farm. Homefields is a farm located a half mile off campus and is the oldest Community Supported Agriculture farm in Lancaster County. As a CSA farm, it shares its produce with community members, including the University. Due to its proximity to MU, it realized it could help fight food insecurity on campus. With the Positive Energy Fund’s help, the organization planted two early spring crops: native ramps, a type of wild leek, and asparagus to share with MU dining services and provide students with a healthy diet.

MU is also looking to help make a difference off campus. This year, the University worked with RegenAll to cohost the second annual Lancaster Climate Summit at the Ware Center. The conference focused on climate action at the local level and included six speakers from the University, including faculty and students.

Overall, Hamaty believes everyone can contribute to sustainability, not just on campus but off campus too. “Sustainability is important, as we have a responsibility to our community and to each other to do what is best for the environment. I believe we have the power, commitment and technology to preserve our world and make it better.”

Next up for the Office of Sustainability? Convening the Climate Action Plan Committee to revisit and determine whether to modify or update the goals in the 2019 Climate Action Plan.