The Ohio University Ecohouse on Dairy Lane offers residents a
unique living experience that strives to teach community members and students
all there is to know about living green.
The Office of Sustainability
explains the inception of this project on the Ecohouse website: "In the summer
of 2004, faculty members, students of Ohio University and concerned citizens of
Athens County began meeting to discuss the possibility of transforming a
university-owned house into a learning center about ecologically sustainable
lifestyles." The university's Ecology and Energy Conservation Committee
supported the idea, and after a formal request to the university, the Ecohouse
was put into action January of 2005.
Since then, some $60,000 in grants have supported the
environmentally friendly project. The Ecohouse has organic gardens, a solar
electric array, a solar hot water system, a biomass furnace, energy star
appliances and composting.
Each year, three students have the opportunity to live in the
Ecohouse, but applicants must complete a comprehensive application that
demonstrates their commitment to sustainable living. As the website suggests,
the Ecohouse is not merely a place to live, but has a mission to "demonstrate
affordable green technology and sustainable living in order to inform, engage
and inspire both residents and visitors."
One of the Ecohouse's residents for the 2011-2012 year is
graduate student Kylie Johnson. Johnson said she's a big advocate for
sustainable living and dedicates her studies to the field. She received her
bachelor's degree in conservation science at Muskingum University and is
pursuing her master's in environmental studies here at OU. Additionally, she
spent time in Scotland studying sustainable development and researching her
thesis about urban sustainability.
Johnson not only dedicates her time studying sustainability, but
she has become an active voice about it through her title as Miss Southeastern
Ohio 2008, and more recently as Miss Muskingum Valley 2011.
"Being chosen to
live in the Ecohouse last year was a dream come true," she said. "Environmental
sustainability has always been a passion of mine, and I knew that living in the
Ecohouse would expand my knowledge on the subject. I believe that the best
learning doesn't always come from a textbook or a classroom, but rather it
comes from hands-on experiences."
She said that living in the Ecohouse definitely has contributed
to her trove of real-world experience in sustainability. "Living every day in
the Ecohouse has made me more conscientious about my impact on the environment
and has given me the opportunity to engage in discussion with students and the
Athens community about important environmental issues," she said.
Johnson said the house is constantly evolving. All residents of
the house must take an Ecohouse class every quarter, and part of that class
requires residents to give 14 project hours of service dedicated to
sustainability projects that interest them.
"As part of my project hours this year, I am working on my grant
writing skills, as I would like to assist in the addition of new technologies
for the house," Johnson said.
One of Johnson's favorite aspects of living in the Ecohouse, she
said, is hosting public tours of the house for members of the community.
"I enjoy participating in critical thinking with people from all
backgrounds about these important issues. It's interesting to hear different
perspectives on environmental issues, and it helps to keep me open-minded about
other people's opinions," she added. "I also enjoy showing people that you
don't have to live in an Ecohouse or spend thousands of dollars on green
technology to help reduce your environmental impact. Often the best solutions
are the simplest."
Johnson said that
Athens community members have access to a great recycling program in comparison
to other communities. "Composting is another simple way that any household can
help reduce the amount of waste they send to landfills," she said. "The
(federal) EPA estimates the 67 percent of American household waste can be
composted, and if everyone made that transition, it would make a huge impact."
To schedule a tour, anyone can email sustainability@ohio.edu.
For those interested in more information about sustainable living, the Office
of Sustainability website publishes electronic newsletters that anyone can
subscribe to. Currently, their online publication, "Ecohouse Digest," will be
replaced by their new publication "Planet OHIO," which will focus on how
sustainability is addressed by the people and practices of OU.
Community members can also engage in public discussion about
sustainable living through Twitter and Facebook by searching "SustainableOU."
Johnson advised both OU students and community members to make
small changes toward sustainable living. "When I first moved in the Ecohouse, I
thought that I was going to have to make drastic changes to my lifestyle," she
said. "I quickly found that the changes I made, such as sorting my recycling
and composting, have become so second nature that I don't even think about it
as being extra work. It's just a part of my lifestyle."
