Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Three words ingrained into the youth of America. Three words that relate to what is becoming a global movement. The initiative to “go green.”

The media shouts it, the major corporations claim it, going green is happening rapidly around the nation as more big names and government programs back it up. College campuses around the U.S. are no exception.

Universities around Kentucky are taking action and realizing that pushing for sustainability on campuses will lead to a healthier natural environment and in the long run a reduced energy bill.

The recent trend spreading across Kentucky campuses is the employment of a sustainability coordinator for the whole campus. Western Kentucky University recently appointed its first sustainability coordinator, Christian Ryan-Downing, in the summer of 2008 according to a press release from the university.

Ryan-Downing is a recent graduate of Western, leaving with a masters of Science degree with a focus on biology. While a student, she took particular interest in the campuses energy consumption. The interest became the focus for her graduate thesis, which became an assessment of university energy consumption. The basis for Ryan-Downing’s thesis eventually became a part of her job description as sustainability coordinator.

“I act as the face of sustainability,” said Christian. Media efforts, working with students and an annual sustainability report are the basis of her job description.

While Western may already have a sustainability coordinator, other Kentucky campuses are in the process of seeking candidates. David Shane Tedder of the University of Kentucky, says the campus has no official campus sustainability office and UK is in the process of hiring a coordinator. Tedder works in the housing and resident life office, working closely with the issue of sustainability around campus.

“I don’t think it’s an elective,” says Tedder, adding he feels going green is on its way to becoming standard operating procedure not only on campuses, but everywhere. Transylvania University has also started a search for a sustainability coordinator, According to Tedder.

While campuses have a clear push for sustainability, many still face a great challenge: garnering the full support of the campus. Ryan-Downing said the strong supporters are typically a vocal minority.

Campus organizations, such as the Western Kentucky University Greentoppers (a student organization Christian helped found while a student at WKU) gather together the vocal minority to collaborate and get their opinions heard.

The University of Kentucky faces a similar challenge. Tedder said the student body isn’t as engaged, similar to WKU. The focus may be on students but the faculty is also a force to consider in the hierarchy of college campuses.

Recently, WKU put forth an effort to consolidate classes to certain buildings during the summer term to help curb unneeded energy consumption in near-empty buildings. According to Christian, some members of the faculty were opposed to the idea of having to teach in a building different from the one that houses their office. With help from Provost Barbara Birch, a supporter of campus green efforts, faculty eventually complied with the plan for consolidation.