Young Democrats promote sustainability

This year, green is sexy. Or so the Young Democrats think, as they promote their Sustainability is Sexy campaign this week by giving away recycled and reusable items during prime orientation and student move-in days.

"We're trying to encourage specifically freshmen moving into the dorms to use sustainable items. If you pay that one extra dollar you can get one hundred percent recycled items," said junior Max Wagner, president of the Young Democrats.

The Young Democrats raffled off around 50 items Thursday and Friday while students were busy moving into their dorms. Among the items they gave away were non-chlorine cleaners, fluorescent light bulbs. They also handed out fliers with more ways to live a sustainable lifestyle.

"The most important thing is to be conscious about what you're purchasing," Wagner said. "It's not that hard when you start making those conscious choices."

The Young Democrats will be out again Thursday during the Student Activities Fair in Red Square. They will be handing out free coffee mugs in support of their "Sustainability is Sexy" project. This initiative started during winter quarter last year and seeks to cut down on the waste produced from non-recyclable coffee cups.

The student club estimates that as many as 5,000 coffee cups are thrown away every day on campus.

"[The project] reduces waste on campus," said sophomore and member Lisa Umhey.

The Young Democrats are pushing environmental issues on campus with the formation of the UW Green Project, a branch of the Young Democrats. They will also be adding a position within the club to specifically focus on environmental issues. The goal, according to Wagner, is to make the UW campus more sustainable.

"Last year we'd done work with Housing and Food Services via the Sustainability is Sexy campaign," Wagner said. "They were really willing to work with us. We're going to take the campaign to HFS to try to get many products in the dorms to have a zero carbon footprint or be one hundred percent recycled."

In order to achieve this goal, the Young Democrats will be meeting with HFS and will attempt to contact and establish relationships with other environmental groups on campus.

Wagner said the College Republicans don't support the project. Wagner claimed the College Republicans are of the opinion that global warming does not exist. He cited a debate last year between the Young Democrats and College Republicans as to the origins of these claims.

"I was very clear in the debate that our only dispute was whether or not humans are a factor," said senior Tom Walker, the College Republicans president, in response to Wagner's speculations.

The Young Democrats meet every Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in Gowen 301.

[Reach reporter Andrew Doughman at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]