Delta Zeta Goes Green!
The sisters of Delta Zeta (DZ), a national sorority with a Clarkson University chapter, are taking "green pledges" this semester as part of Delta Zeta National's "Pink Goes Green" initiative.
Delta Zeta, which is one of three sororities on Clarkson's campus, has chosen to follow through on their national's initiatives by expanding their green efforts through a personal level, a sorority level, and a campus-wide level.
"We're a unique chapter of DZ because we're only about 30 girls. We're constantly looking for ways to go above and beyond what is expected from a chapter of our size," says "Pink Goes Green" Chair Francesca Merchant '10.
The idea of going above and beyond started this semester for DZ, when each sister made a "green pledge," ensuring that she would work on her own environmentalism through everyday tasks such as carpooling or walking to class, turning off unnecessary appliances such as computers and lights, shopping at the local farmer's market and co-op, substituting eco-friendly tote bags for plastic bags while shopping, and more.
Merchant adds, "We wanted to start on a small, personal level and find things in our daily lives that we could change to make a difference, and now we're ready to make it a bit bigger."
Making their initiative bigger in the future includes house projects such as purchasing green cleaning supplies, low-flow shower heads, and compact fluorescent light bulbs, turning their monthly newsletter into an electronic newsletter, and campus wide events such as making green dorm guides and shopping lists for incoming students and hosting a vegetarian dinner for Clarkson students, faculty, and staff with proceeds going to an environmental organization.
"We want to make sure everyone on campus can participate in helping to make our community a little greener," concludes Merchant.
