Anticipating dumpsters brimming with plastic cups and cans of Keystone Light, sustainability chairs and members of several Greek organizations said they are taking steps to stay environmentally friendly during Green Key Weekend.
Kappa Kappa Kappa fraternity usually produces slightly more trash during Green Key Weekend than other weekends, according to Islam Fayed '10, Tri-Kap house manager.
For larger Green Key Weekend parties, such as the dance party the party has scheduled for Friday night, Tri-Kap uses kegs of beer instead of cans in an effort to stay sustainable, Fayed said.
Kappa Delta Epsilon sorority has more parties during Green Key than usual, starting with its "Tackies" party on Wednesday, according to Carley Markovitz '10, KDE sustainability chair. As a result, KDE holds extra house-wide cleanups during Green Key Weekend to reduce litter and trash, Markovitz said.
At Sigma Delta sorority, members always try to remain conscious of sustainability and recycling, sustainability chair Kayla Eisman '09 said.
"We're lucky in that we usually have a lot of support within the house for recycling," Eisman said in an e-mail to The Dartmouth. "So for Green Key [Weekend] we'll try to enlist everyone's help to enforce our recycling during the busier weekends."
Sigma Delt also has recycling receptacles separate from its trash bins so that cans and plastic cups can be recycled throughout the year, a process the house will continue for Green Key Weekend, Eisman said.
With a large influx of alumni and visitors to campus for Green Key Weekend, as well as more activities and parties on campus, it is important for students to recycle anything that can be recycled, according to Bernard Haskell, assistant director of operations for the Office of Residential Life.
"Obviously there are more activities going on, so there is a larger volume of things that can be recycled," Haskell said.
During Green Key Weekend, the Greek organizations that normally recycle should continue their efforts, Haskell added.
"Green Key [Weekend] is really the same as usual," Haskell said. "The [Greek organizations] that do recycle are obviously going to recycle more. The houses that aren't already recycling are putting more items that can be recycled into a landfill."
Students should maintain energy-saving practices and remain conscious of sustainable actions that they can take during Green Key Weekend, energy campaign intern Marissa Knodel '09 said.
It is important for members of Greek organizations to remember that plastic cups and aluminum cans can be recycled together, Knodel said.
The College's keg policy, which limits the number of kegs that can be present at a party, will also affect how houses manage their trash and recycling during Green Key Weekend, Knodel said. Limiting the number of kegs of beer often forces students to drink from beer cans instead, which can lead to more waste, she said.
"The amount of waste that is produced using aluminum cans is absolutely ridiculous," she said. "I think that the keg policy needs to be changed."
During Green Key Weekend, Knodel said she hopes that students will continue to remain conscious of techniques they can employ to recycle and conserve energy.
"Think conservation," Knodel said. "Not only in terms of moderation when it comes to drinking and partying, but just using less in general."
As a part of the Dartmouth Energy Conservation Campaign, the sustainability office will monitor energy consumption in dorms and Greek organizations this term, she said. The campaign includes electronic energy monitors in several residence halls and other campus buildings.
Since big weekends typically lead to more overall waste, Dartmouth sustainability manager Kathy Lambert '90 said that the College should consider recycling and sustainability during all of its big weekends.
"One thing to think about is whether it might be worth taking a look at annual traditions at Dartmouth and whether there is an opportunity to green up our traditions," Lambert said. "There is not an effort right now, but it could be a valuable for staff, students and faculty to work on together."
