By Sarah Robinson
Catawba College Student Intern 
An air of excitement fills the student center.
Dozens of students are lined up 20 minutes before an event begins.  Wait…..is this an environmental event being described?  Yes! Sustainable Catawba hosted a successful kickoff Tuesday, Feb 21, in the Cannon Student Center on the Catawba College campus.  During the event, 193 students, faculty, and staff (including College President Dr. Joseph Oxendine) pledged to make sustainable behaviors a habit in their daily routines.
In exchange, students were given T-shirts with the statement, “I Committed – Ask me how!” on the front to remind them of their pledges.  
“I pledge to reduce my energy use. I use too much already,” said freshman Patrick Karriker. 
Senior Kim Renspie took a different approach.
“I pledge to lead by example and help others reduce their consumption,” she said.  “As an R.A., I know my residents don’t use conservation practices. Little things can add up to a big difference.”  
Freshman Theo Shepard also pledged to lead by example.  
“I really like pledging to lead by example, because it’s something that doesn’t have to refer specifically to the environment,” he said.
Students wrote their individual pledges on colorful stars which will be placed on a banner that reads, “I took the Sustainable Catawba Pledge!”  
The banner will soon be placed in the student center so that everyone can see what their peers pledged to do.
The entire Sustainable Catawba pledge states: “I pledge to make Catawba College and the world better for myself and future generations by living more sustainably. In my daily behavior I will strive to reflect environmental integrity, social justice, and sustainable economic success. I am committed to reducing my own environmental impact by choosing one action in the following categories that will help our campus and the world become more sustainable.”Information related to the campus’ current sustainability projects, including a map that locates all available recycling bins, was available for interested students.
More information about Sustainable Catawba and campus sustainability efforts can be found at catawba.edu/sustain and facebook.com/sustainablecatawba .