Miss Cover Girl Krystle Cravens was the guest speaker at the Psi Beta Zetas’ Z-Hope “Go Green” event in Room 243 of the Favrot Student Union Monday night. Cravens was selected because of her earth friendly platform and passion for greenness. She told the modest crowd about the history of going green and said that the phenomenon is picking up speed again, but is not new.
Cravens emphasized the importance of acknowledging unhealthy habits and cited the National Energy Act, Toxic Substance Act and Water Pollution Act and other legislature backing growing planetary concern.
“If we don’t fix our bad habits now, .we’re going to run out of natural resources,” she said.
The United States uses 25% of the world’s oil and supplies 3%, she said. Continuing the theme of American waste, numerous students echoed her sentiments of Grambling State overusing lights in unoccupied buildings.
Classroom signs beneath lights previously read, “Last out, lights out,” Cravens said.
The signs have since disappeared.
The discussion wasn’t all condemnation. She shared numerous suggestions with the audience.
Some solutions include the following:
* Turn off unused power surges.
* Purchase Energy Star appliances.
* Carpool with friends to cut costs.
* Purchase fuel-efficient hybrid cars.
* Reuse gift bags and tissue paper.
* Recycle electronics, cell phones and car.
* Buy organic food.
* Support local farmers’ markets.
* Fix leaks as soon as possible to prevent wasted water.
* Buy rechargeable batteries.
Earth friendly web sites include www.recyclephones.org, greenphone.com and www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com.
Miss Covergirl told the crowd about the city of Ruston’s massive cleanup on March 20.
Participants will spend the day picking up trash before a waste management truck will dispose of the materials.
At the end of the seminar, Cravens supplied green friendly goodie bags. Each included candy, literature and a recyclable bookmark that could be planted to grow a flower.
The bags were sponsored by representatives of Lincoln Parish, Lake Charles and Baton Rouge as part of the Keep Louisiana Beautiful organization.
Keep Louisiana Beautiful is an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful and was formed to reduce the state’s litter. It focuses on education, enforcement and clean up.