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Earth Day 2016 Celebrated at Mississippi College


MC energy specialist Tom Williams

Earth Day 2016 organizers hope to plant 7.8 billion trees around the planet by 2020. That campaign will mark the 50th anniversary of America’s first Earth Day in 1970.

It’s a very ambitious goal. But leaders are encouraging Americans to start on a much smaller scale and plant four to five trees in backyards or businesses. Trees help people breathe clean air.

Mississippi College is doing its part, too, as a supporter of Earth Day on April 22.

Thanks to support from hundreds of employees, MC maintains an active energy conservation program that’s enjoyed success in recent years. The Baptist-affiliated university achieved more than $1.38 million in savings through a 14 percent reduction in energy the past 44 months.

MC energy specialist Tom Williams crunched the numbers. He reports the institution’s energy consumption is down by a whopping 96,593 million BTUs. It’s really hard to fathom that huge amount. He brings the statistics down to Earth.

It translates into the equivalent of 7,730 tons of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere. In other words, 1,610 passenger cars are no longer on the road. Or think of 198,197 trees being planted.

As America celebrates its 46th Earth Day, Mississippi College leaders continue to practice what they preach: it’s important for everybody to save energy.

“While most of the time we discuss it in terms of saving money, for Earth Day, we encourage people to be concerned with our natural resources,” says Steve Stanford, MC vice president for administration and government relations. “Being good stewards of both our money and our environment gives us a great deal of satisfaction.”

There are nice rewards for university departments and offices going the extra mile in energy saving competition. Williams enjoys giving MC employees tiny Hershey bars if they make a strong effort to save energy. He keeps tabs as faculty and staff compete for top energy-saving honors year-round.

Slicing energy costs on the Clinton campus and at MC Law School in Jackson obviously means saving dollars and cents. MC is home to more than 500 faculty and staff members plus nearly 5,200 students.

“The cost of utilities is the second largest budget line-item for Mississippi College,” Williams notes. “And prices for electricity, natural gas, heating oil and water have steadily increased over the past few years.”

Mississippi College partners with Cenergistic, a technology-powered energy conservation company, to achieve positive results throughout its buildings on campus.

In 1970 when 22 million Americans celebrated the initial Earth Day, Williams worked as a Mississippi classroom teacher. “Earth Day was an important part of being a science teacher,” says the award-winning Mississippi College education professor. “I was interested in conservation back in the day.”

Williams is always quick to supply valuable energy saving suggestions. Turning off unnecessary lights and appliances at home during the day is one solid tip for MC employees while they’re working on campus. Checking all faucets, showers and sinks for leaks is another handy step.

Asked how Mississippi College employees can improve next year, Williams says, “We need to follow the guidelines for cooling and heating more closely.”

For more information, contact Tom Williams at 601-925-3844 or twiliams@mc.edu