In sophomore Marye Scott’s opinion, students living on campus should take this motto to heart.

“It is all about being aware and conscious about  your actions and your personal impact on the environment,” Scott said.

Scott, a resident of Birnam Wood, is one of 42 Eco Reps who serve year-round throughout Western’s residence halls. Her current focus – competing to be green.

Every winter quarter, each hall participates in a competition called “Go for the Green.” This is a total waste reduction challenge that concentrates on four different areas – electricity, water, landfill and natural gas use, said senior Leah White, coordinator of Residents’ Resource Awareness Program.

The energy is measured for each building and tracked on a month-to-month basis, she said.

Points are then distributed for certain percentages of waste reduction and improvement from last year, she said. For example, 40 points are awarded for every one percent reduction in electricity use and 75 points for every one-percent improvement from the previous year, she said.

During the competition, the Eco Reps in each residence hall go door-to-door and encourage students to sign water waste and heat waste reduction pledges, White said.

White said she is excited about the results that just came out for the month of February. The winning residence hall with the most points will be announced during the final celebration on April 6, White said.

Sophomore Jordan Westerholm said being an Eco Rep in Nash Hall has given him the opportunity to expand other people’s awareness about the environment.

“A few is always better than none, concerning something this significant,” he said.

Westerholm said he personally keeps a compost container in his room that he adds to the compost bins in the Viking Union when it gets full.

He said he turns the shower off when lathering up with soap, then on again to rinse. He also does not use the paper towels from the community bathroom dispensers to dry his hands. It is only water, and most residents have hand towels in their rooms, he said.

“I (don’t) want to hurt the world that makes my life amazing,” Westerholm said. “When you love something, you try your hardest to not hurt it and to help when it needs (you).”

Junior Megan Boerner, an Eco Rep for Birnam Wood, said she and her roommates make sure to get biodegradable materials and cleaners for their apartment so fewer chemicals go down the sink. She said she also uses the compost bin for anything that can be composted and keeps a chart in her apartment that states which materials go in the compost or recycle bin.

Sophomore Hayden Fairley, another Eco Rep for the apartments, said while Birnam Wood is fortunate enough to have compost, many residents do not use it and do not know how to fully utilize it. Just making the effort to properly sort waste goes a long way, he said.

Fairley said he tries to do simple things to live a green lifestyle. He said he turns off the lights when not in use, keeps the thermostat low, shuts off the water while brushing his teeth and unplugs unused electronics.

The “Go for the Green” competition is the evidence these small changes make a difference, Fairley said.

Freshman Michelle Seymour, an Eco Rep for Buchanan Towers, said she never turns on the heat in her room and tries to use natural sunlight as much as possible instead of turning on her overhead light.

Seymour said she buys organic and natural products as often as she can so her money can go toward supporting products that are good for the earth, without the use of pesticides or synthetic ingredients.

Seymour also said she only does full loads of laundry. With color catching sheets that allow for mixed washes, there is no need to split up colors and darks, which saves water and energy, she said.

“Everything we do has an effect on how others will someday live,” Seymour said. “If you’re not doing it for future generations, do it for the animals and the plants that have no voice.”

Westerholm said as he became interested in being environmentally friendly, he began to learn much more about the world around him.

“The more you learn, the more power you have to act,” he said.

Fairley said it is the simple steps that make all the difference.

“We don’t all need to be superheroes and invent new forms of alternative energy,” Fairley said. “We just need to focus on the small changes we are all capable of doing.”