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NEWS / WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
ENVIRONMENT
Student blogger teaches boyfriend how to go green
BY BRENNA LONG
blong@kansan.com
Contributed Photo
Austin Hartman, a junior from Hays, makes a trip to the Wal-Mart Recycling Center. The routine is new for Hartman, whose girlfriend began teaching him the ways of being more environmentally-conscious last semester, in experiment shared with the public via her blog.
No boyfriends were harmed in this environmental science experiment; Austin Hartman can testify to that. Unsure of what he was getting into, Hartman, a junior from Hays, decided to play the transformational character in his girlfriend's blog, Green Girl Meets All-American Boy.
"I'll admit I was a little hesitant to begin with just because that was an area I hadn't involved myself with," he said. "I didn't care in the least about environmental issues and concerns, so I figured it would be a learning experience for both of us."
Janie Chen, a junior from Olathe, started the blog as a a project for an independent study course in environmental studies. Each week last semester, she wrote about different environmental topics in Hartman's life, starting with his sock drawer. After sifting through 46 pairs of socks, Hartman learned his first lesson in
consumption and consignment stores. He and his mom, Cathy Hartman, had no idea so many pairs of socks were hiding in his drawer.
Austin Hartman, a junior from Hays, displays his recycling skills in front of the Walt-Mart on Iowa Street. Hartman was part of an eco-experiment conducted by his girlfriend, who attempted to "greifen" his daily habits in one semester.
"In hindsight, I think I am a green guy and at least more aware."
"I had no
Contributed Photo
"That Monday I went to Subway and had a meatball ball and brought back flat iron steaks." Pruter
idea he had so many, but it makes me think about simple things like buying clothes." Cathy said.
Hartman's mind didn't stay on clothing and shopping long; Chen quickly moved on to a more appetizing subject: food.
AUSTIN HARTMAN
Hays Junior
Pruter, also a junior from Hays, wafted the smell of grilled steak through the apartment.
"I learned how much he loves hamburgers," Chen said. "I really had no idea."
This made the "Meatless Monday" challenge part of the blog a bit difficult for Hartman. And to make matters worse, one of his roommates, Blake
steaks," Pruter said. "Mostless
said. "Meatless Monday won't happen for me."
As the antagonist throughout the experience, Pruter said he would constantly frustrate Hartman by throwing bottles into the trash
right in from of him.
"I thought the project was a joke at first," Pruter said. "But it ended up catching on."
caught on keeps Hartman driving his SUV to the Wal-Mart Community Recycling Center, 3300 Iowa St.
After a semester of trouble and hassle from his roommates, Hartman started to see the habits slowly wear on the same guys who told him they would eat five steaks for every tofu burger he consumed.
"Through repetition we converted some non-believers," Hartman said.
One environmental act that
Hartman said he didn't mind dropping off the recycling because he learned firsthand from the recycling employees the importance of recycling.
"My roommates are still adamant about recycling to this day, but they won't take it," Hartman said.
As part of other blog topics, Hartman also got to chat with people working at The Community Mercantile, 901 Iowa St., and the farmer's market.
"You don't really get that by reading an article on the Internet," he said. "Going and doing it firsthand is a whole different experience."
The personal connections made the facts and daily habits sink in, he said. The project didn't turn Hartman into the perfect green guy, but Chen said she wasn't expecting that to happen. She was only hoping for a few successes.
Buying granola at The Community Mercantile, recycling and car pooling are some of those
small victories.
Everyone in Hartman's life turned a shade greener after a semester, and Hartman said he planned to continue with the eco-friendly habits
he gained.
"I just kind of went along with the flow, and I figured some of what we did would positively affect me," Hartman said. "In
hindsight, I think I am a green guy and at least more aware."
Edited by Megan Heacock
Fatal shooting at Ohio State
ASSOCIATED PRESS
COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio State University janitor who was about to lose his job walked into
a maintenance building for his early morning shift Tuesday and shot two supervisors, killing one of them and fatally shooting himself. No students were hurt.
in the 1970s and '80s for receiving stolen property but lied about it on his job application, records show. It wasn't immediately clear whether Ohio State had done the required
background check on him.
"This is a tragic event, and our hearts go out to all of the families."
VERNON BAISEN
Assistant Vice President for Public Safety
Nathaniel
Brown,51, arrived for work at the nation's largest university dressed in dark clothing, a hooded sweat shirt and a backpack. He then opened fire in an office suite using two handguns, campus Police Chief Paul Denton said.
Brown spent five years in prison
Ohio
State
released
docu-
ment
from
Brown's
person
nel file showing that supervisors complained he was tardy, slept on the job and had problems following instructions. The university sent him a letter March 2 informing him that his employment was to end Saturday.
ees were in the building when the shooting began, Denton said. He described the shooting as workrelated but didn't describe a motive
About a half-dozen other employ
The shooting was reported at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday. Police tactical units surrounded the building and found Brown with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a garage bay, Denton said. He was pronounced dead at a campus hospital several hours later.
Brown had been scheduled to work his normal third shift, Denton said.
One of the victims, building services manager Larry Wallington, 48, died at the scene. The other, operations shift leader Henry Butler, 60, was in stable condition at Ohio State University Medical Center, officials said.
"This is a tragic event, and our hearts go out to all of the families," said Vernon Baisden, assistant vice president for public safety.
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