These undergrads at Columbia are surpassing every other effort I have seen at green living. Regardless of what is or is not happening with the climate, this short news article inspires me to think once again about what it means to be given the mandate of caring for that which God called "good." I'm embracing the the 5-minute shower and unplugging unused appliances, but I'm afraid I have to draw the line at worm bins in my bedroom.

re: creation care, cultivation and creation, environmentalism

Christy:

Todd Nelson, a Columbia sophomore, plans a double major in environmental science and history with a focus on industrialization and the rise of consumerism. He sleeps next to a worm bin where he composts food scraps.

He’s one of 13 students in Columbia’s GreenBorough dorm, where an experiment in sustainable living launched this semester is a competitive sport.

Showers are limited to five minutes (Nelson’s personal record is 1:50). A chart on the wall keeps track of offenders who forget to turn off lights and unplug appliances.

“We’re semi-paranoid about leaving on lights,” Nelson said. “We try to implement social pressure.”

The house won’t buy anything wasteful — like plastic cups — so its “off-the-grid” party two weeks ago had acoustic-only bands, flashlights, and was BYOC — Bring Your Own Cup.