Acorn

Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: Opinion

Media Credit: Jessica Glickman

A few months ago, the Sustainable Endowments Institute released its grade report on 200 universities and colleges in the United States and Canada. The organization judged the institutions in such categories as climate change and energy, food and recycling, green building, transportation, endowment transparency and investment.

Drew University passed-with a D+!

In a world that is increasingly aware of its impact on the environment and future generations, academic communities are a logical first step toward larger sustainability movements.

We don't just need to cut down on our carbon emissions to combat the effects of global warming. Sustainability exists at the node of every aspect of our lives at Drew. The air we breathe, the food we eat, our dearly held beliefs in social justice, the job markets we inherit from a shuddering economy, the plants that are pleasing to us, our ski vacations-all of these are inextricably connected in one huge existence that pleads for a smarter, more responsible attitude toward our environment.

Fostering a sustainable campus isn't just about recycling. We need to completely revamp the way we think about things as a university.

There are some real changes that need to be made if we want to become a carbon-neutral campus. We're already doing some things right, such as replacing all burnt-out light bulbs with more efficient compact fluorescents or stocking Amy's Organic options in the Snack Bar. These are great first steps.

They are, however, only first steps and should not provide an excuse to stop fighting for more substantial gains. For instance, we should reconsider our energy use as a whole, from lights to washing machines. We should install motion sensor lighting in all of the dormitory hallways, just like we already have in Brothers College. We should also change our appliances to EnergyStar products, in both the laundry rooms and dining facilities. Our food service, too, could use a few improvements. It's great to have organic options, but as our school attempts to shift towards carbon neutrality we should push to make local foods the norm.

People have been tossing around the possibility of a bike rental program, so on these 70-degree ultra-amazing days, you can ride to town on two hot wheels rather than in a stuffy, polluting car.

When planning events or programs, take some time to consider how you could run the same program with minimal environmental impact.

Encourage your professors to put the course materials on the K-drive. Buy e-books instead of text books. Send papers via e-mail instead of rushing to the library five minutes before class.

We need to understand the host of implications that follow us when we choose to remain ignorant to the state of our environment and the future of our resources.

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