College campuses a major force for green efforts

We all have to be responsible for the size of our carbon footprint, but lately… college campuses around the country are doing their part to soften the harshness of their steps.

A journal article titled "A new climate," written by Rusty Stephens, talks about students and faculty at several college campuses stepping up to the challenge of “going green.”  Now, more than ever before, efforts are being made to lesson the amount of energy that campuses use and give an alternative to daily practices such as throwing trash away in the trash can.  It’s a movement, folks!

Stephens (2010) brought up a new point I never considered in the article when he said that clubs and organizations around campuses are “strategically positioned to partner with stakeholders, including business, industry, government, nonprofits, and other elements of our community.”  That statement illustrates that students and faculty have moved beyond the realm of just relying on campus resources to carry out their message.  They’re now extending their reach to include the stakeholders who can contribute their own resources to produce REAL results that have LASTING effects.

Also an interesting point to touch on, Stephens, who serves as the president of Wilson Community College in Wilson, N.C., said the school has invested in a new green building that has contributed to the decrease of campus energy use by 29 percent.  These kinds of savings are the proof that although being environmentally conscious and practicing environmental sustainability tactics may be, to many, expensive, there’s no denying the benefits.

We live in a world where our natural resources are being depleted at a fast rate and chemical pollution and climate change are threatening the health of humans and wildlife.  It’s time to wise up! Once we reach the limit of no return … no amount of technology will be able to reverse the damage that’s being done to the environment.

-Demetria

Stephens, R.. (2010). A new climate. Community College Journal, 81(2), 48-49.  Retrieved September 29, 2011, from Research Library. (Document ID: 2175619571).

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