Simple steps go a long way
Editorial Board
Issue date: 4/24/09 Section: Ed-Op
We are glad to live in a decade where there is an entire week devoted to being environmentally conscious. Earth Week has become a huge event across college campuses everywhere. Of course, this issue shouldn't just be a seven-day fad. We must remember that global climate change isn't just any social cause - it poses a danger to all people and creatures on the planet. As the future leaders of this country, it is the job of the college students of America to stand up for the environment that has been trampled upon or ignored for generations.
In the past, we have all thought that taking care of the environment was more of an extracurricular activity; we now realize that it is an essential part of our lives. That's why we at The Triangle want the Drexel student body to make "green" more than an overused buzzword - make it a meaningful maxim to live by.
Our University has done a tremendous job in getting involved with green initiatives and trying to relay that important message to the students. However, there are a few simple things they can also accomplish. While it's great to focus on building modern, green buildings, we can still improve the efficiency of our older buildings as well. Walking around campus at night, we see many classrooms with lights on that are clearly not in use. During the day, heat and air conditioning systems blast unnecessarily during moderate weather. Any policies or adjustments to automatic systems that could be made to remedy these issues would surely make a measurable difference in energy consumption.
In this scenario, it is the administration that is doing its best to make sure we understand the significance of saving our planet - and it is our obligation to ensure that we follow through with something that not only has an impact on Drexel, but the entire world.
There are so many simple things we can do to pitch in. As students who are informed and engaged, we should recycle everything that we can. We should plant trees and clean up parks for a bigger reason than earning credit for our civic engagement requirement. We should turn off the lights if we're the last person to leave a classroom; reuse grocery bags; conserve water; walk, bike or take public transit whenever possible. It's all a matter of being mindful and occasionally giving up a little bit of convenience.
It is not too late to start saving energy, but it is important that we make a change now; or before we know it, it could be too late.
In the past, we have all thought that taking care of the environment was more of an extracurricular activity; we now realize that it is an essential part of our lives. That's why we at The Triangle want the Drexel student body to make "green" more than an overused buzzword - make it a meaningful maxim to live by.
Our University has done a tremendous job in getting involved with green initiatives and trying to relay that important message to the students. However, there are a few simple things they can also accomplish. While it's great to focus on building modern, green buildings, we can still improve the efficiency of our older buildings as well. Walking around campus at night, we see many classrooms with lights on that are clearly not in use. During the day, heat and air conditioning systems blast unnecessarily during moderate weather. Any policies or adjustments to automatic systems that could be made to remedy these issues would surely make a measurable difference in energy consumption.
In this scenario, it is the administration that is doing its best to make sure we understand the significance of saving our planet - and it is our obligation to ensure that we follow through with something that not only has an impact on Drexel, but the entire world.
There are so many simple things we can do to pitch in. As students who are informed and engaged, we should recycle everything that we can. We should plant trees and clean up parks for a bigger reason than earning credit for our civic engagement requirement. We should turn off the lights if we're the last person to leave a classroom; reuse grocery bags; conserve water; walk, bike or take public transit whenever possible. It's all a matter of being mindful and occasionally giving up a little bit of convenience.
It is not too late to start saving energy, but it is important that we make a change now; or before we know it, it could be too late.
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