Food for thought

Editorial: Thoughts on food

February can be tough. With cold weather and slushy footpaths, no vacations, and accumulating schoolwork, the month can be a drag for many students. While spirits may not be at their highest this time of year on campus, the Dining Service puts in extra effort this month to keep things interesting. With themed dinners like "Just Like Home" and "Chinese New Year," the staff makes every effort spice things up when everything else seems bland.

Editorial: The caucus system

Sunday was a disappointing day for democracy in Maine. Even for those pleased with the outcome of the Democratic caucus, the chaos and disorganization of the event left many voters frustrated.

Editorial

This piece represents the opinion of The Bowdoin Orient editorial board.

February 8, 2008

Last week marked the kick-off of Recyclemania, a nationwide recycling competition among colleges. As the magnitude of our future environmental challenges becomes increasingly apparent, we should feel more compelled than ever to make changes. We have the power to make minor adjustments in our daily lives to reduce our impact on the environment.

Nearly 90,000 paper coffee cups were taken from Bowdoin's dining halls last semester. This astounding number could easily be reduced to zero if students make the simple switch to reusable mugs?which the Dining Service offers to wash for free. We could reduce waste from the Café and the Pub by refraining from using paper products whenever possible.

Bowdoin has already proved its commitment to sustainability as an institution. For example, the College has vowed to make future construction projects LEED certified and to reach complete carbon neutrality within two years. These lofty goals are commendable, and we hope that individuals on campus will follow the College's lead to develop their own personal goals to be more environmentally conscientious.

We can start by making small changes to daily routines. By leaving lights, computers, and other electronics on when not in use, we are wasting energy and contributing to our planet's looming environmental crisis. We must not expect the College to make us go green in spite of ourselves. We must take responsibility for our own habits.

The editorial represents the majority view of The Bowdoin Orient?s editorial board, which comprises Steve Kolowich, Anne Riley, Anna Karass, Adam Kommel, Mary Helen Miller, Joshua Miller, and Cati Mitchell.

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