DECRUZ PULIKOTTIL | staff writer
Several departments on campus have joined together to make APU a more sustainable environment.
The APU sustainability movement seeks to change how APU students think about the impact their garbage has on the environment.
Chapel Programs brought in speakers who highlighted the issue of sustainability from a Christian perspective; Food Services stopped using Styrofoam containers for a week while Facilities Management has been working to make utilities around campus more energy efficient.
“The [Going Green Week] came about from just talking with students and realizing that a lot of people within our office had a passion for wanting to protect the environment,” Associate Director for Communiversity Jordy Dickey said.
Various offices, staff members and passionate students are all a part of the growing voice to go green at APU.
“The care for the environment has been an issue that students have always cared about,” Dickey said. “Its just the year that kind of kick started it. We’re really excited to see that.”
The changes haven’t just been seen in the past week. The issue of sustainability has been on the minds of university personnel for a while.
The university, in a desire to push this issue to the forefront has put long time employee, Toney Snyder, in charge as Assistant Director of Environmental Stewardship.
Snyder’s goal is not only to advance the idea of recycling, but also to significantly reduce consumption on campus.
Campus disposal of garbage currently costs the university over $10,000 a month and spikes when students move out every year. Snyder hopes to change this trend and has drafted a proposal he hopes will save the school $90,000 a year.
“I really have a two fold purpose,” Snyder said. “To monitor our utilities and reduce our utilities.”
Snyder is a leading proponent of more recycling containers on campus and is seeking to create a “Green Team” made up of volunteer students to help him with this cause. 
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