Brown took a major step toward becoming a more environmentally friendly campus over the summer with the seemingly minor move of replacing its top-loading laundry machines with front-loading models. The new machines can handle 40 percent more clothes - 14 pounds rather than 10 - but will use one-third to one-half less water.
In all, the University will save over 2 million gallons of water per year, according to David Greene, vice president for campus life and student services.
The technologically advanced machines also conserve electricity because they have a lower water-to-heat ratio and a lighter detergent requirement - two tablespoons instead of 12 - that reduces the amount of sewage they produce.
Using environmentally friendly washing machines "is definitely an easy way you can affect the amount of water you're going to use. It's not on the consumption end because it's the technology that's better," said Lindsay Hagamen '08, a member of the Brown Environmental Action Network.
The amount of water used by laundry machines constitutes a significant portion of the University's total water consumption, more so than the water students use to take showers and brush their teeth, she said.
Although the change was not a BEAN initiative, the group strongly supports it and commended the Office of Residential Life for making the switch.
BEAN has always promoted energy conservation in the University, Hagamen said, but has usually pushed for it through academic classes such as ES41: "Environmental Stewardship and Sustainable Design," a project-based course in which students studied front-loading washing mach-ines as a strategy for water conservation.
When ResLife's contract for the top-loading machines ran out, the office took the opportunity to make the switch.
"We're always looking for opportunities for energy conservation, and we decided to use the moment to move in that direction," said Thomas Forsberg, associate director of ResLife.
The University did not have to forgo any other capital expenditure to acquire the front-loading machines, Forsberg said.
Despite the increase in price per load from $1 to $1.25, the switch will in fact save money for the University and students alike, as each machine holds 40 percent more clothes but costs only 25 percent more.
As some students see it, a price increase is nothing new.
"It's part of a larger trend of upping everything, such as food in the vending machines and at the Blue Room," said Adam Cassel '08.
At the administrative level, the total cost of sewage, electricity and water for laundry services will go down by 47 percent, Greene said.
Hagamen said that the new machines are not the only change Brown can make to conserve resources.
Low-flow faucets and low-flush toilets are also technologically advanced options that the University could purchase to become more environmentally friendly, she said.
