Exercise and green initiatives are important to Karla Infazon, a junior and a team leader at both the fitness center and the waterfront.
Last week, Infazon participated in Race for the Watts, an energy-generating contest sponsored by SGEF, the Student Green Energy Fund. Students representing various campus organizations used the sustainable cardio equipment on the second floor of the fitness center to see who could raise the most watts.
Infazon hoped the event would create awareness about the Fitness Center’s green equipment and SGEF’s influence on campus.
“Between my best friend, Vanessa, and I, we spent over an hour in the gym all three days [of the race] to generate as many watts as possible,” she said.
In total, Infazon generated 140 watts. Her team placed first place in the watt count with 507.6 watts, and third place in mileage, with 8.86 miles.
Infazon was on the volleyball team in high school and upon coming to USFSP, she was disappointed to find the campus didn’t have a team. She immediately got involved in the Fitness Center.
As a team leader at the waterfront, Infazon took part in the process of buying a hybrid truck, funded by SGEF. She presented the waterfront’s proposal for a bi-fuel truck that operates on either gasoline or natural compressed gas. The proposal for the hybrid car was eventually accepted. Infazon said that it was easy to ask for money for the project from SGEF and the committee was very approachable. If students come up with green ideas, SGEF will pay, she said.
Neither green initiatives nor exercise are directly related with Infazon’s major, business management. Exercise is a way for her to stay healthy and live longer.
“Why not go green?” she said. “You always have to option, so why not?”
Jennifer Nesslar is a contributing writer at the Crow’s Nest. She can be reached at jnesslar.mail.usf.edu.
