It's indisputable that global climate change is occurring, and there are many threads of evidence that support this. It's also a fact that developed nations, especially the United States, contribute astronomically to the C02 levels in the atmosphere through the burning of coal and other fossil fuels. It's the very nations who contribute the most who are having such trouble coming up with a solution to mitigate climate change and its effects.
Climate change is obviously a global and national concern, but it is also a local one that has made its way into the DePauw community. In 2008, President Casey signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, making a formal and public vow to reduce DePauw's carbon emissions.
The question must be asked, in the five years since the university made that commitment, have our carbon emissions actually decreased? Are we really doing all that we can to combat climate change?
At DePauw, we're surrounded by resources, knowledge and experts, and we have an obligation to seek out answers to important questions that have worldwide implications. Students have a responsibility to inform themselves about climate change, as one of (if not the most) pressing issue of our time.
DePauw certainly isn't immune from the effects of climate change, and it shouldn't be absent from the solution either. Individual student action is imperative to instigating change and setting a positive example. Whatever course of action you choose to follow - whether it's to start thinking about your own carbon footprint and what you can do to reduce it, recognizing something on campus that could be more sustainable (and doing something about it), or contacting your state senator to tell him or her why climate change legislation is necessary, every action is worthwhile and impactful.
Many students on campus are involved in incredible environmental initiatives to raise consciousness, promote sustainability and instigate positive environmental change. For example, students and faculty from DePauw attended the Forward on Climate Rally in Washington, D.C. in February, along with 50,000 other Americans against global climate change. Students have created a Divest DePauw group on campus, which is advocating that DePauw divests university endowment funds from fossil fuel companies. There is also the Student Sustainability Fund that will allocate up to $10,000 for the best sustainability ideas from students. Clearly, there are many different ways to get involved with sustainability and environmental issues on campus.
There are many conflicting ideas about the most effective or ethical approaches to creating environmental awareness and bringing about more sustainable change. However, an important first step is caring about the environment and the potentially disastrous consequences that not taking action toward a more sustainable future could have. At this point, any action at all is better than ignoring the problem or thinking that it is someone else's responsibility to work toward a solution. Pleading ignorance and being apathetic about climate change is no longer an acceptable course of action.
- Stephens is a junior from Saint Charles, Ill. majoring in psychology.