It is safe to say we attend a beautiful university. However, when walking to class, it is genuinely disheartening to see bottles, cans and a wide assortment of litter beginning to surface as the snow melts away.

This common example of environmental irresponsibility should encourage students to consider the importance of sustainability efforts at Syracuse University and the impact of these endeavors on a national and global basis.

At this moment, the environmental discussion is growing around the world. The highly controversial and environmentally devastating Keystone XL pipeline is working its way through Congress and world leaders are scrambling to form their own policies in attempts to address climate change. As these discussions heat up and make their way to campus, they should be met with genuine concern or at least consideration.

In order to learn more about the environment and how it’s influencing our lives on campus, students should attend one of the many local events that work to raise awareness about climate change and sustainability efforts in the surrounding community.

There are several organizations on campus, including Divest SU and ESF, Students of Sustainability and the SU sustainability department that work year-round to educate students about environmental preservation and stress the importance of remaining conscious about our actions as consumers, students and global citizens.

Becoming open-minded about climate change and environmental-related topics does not mean one must renounce plastic products and drop out of college to solely survive off of the earth. Taking the time to be considerate of the planet in our daily lives means making more feasible, responsible choices, such as embracing a more sustainable diet or taking advantage of a reusable water bottle.

Although SU is working to become carbon neutral by 2040 according to the Syracuse University Climate Action Plan, students must play an active role in this process by posing as positive examples of sustainable lifestyle choices.

Students can do this by taking part in the events, films and workshops hosted on campus that provide the community with opportunities to learn about environmental injustice. These events include the February screening of “Above All Else,” a documentary about one man’s stand against corporate invasion and his fight to stop the tar sands of the Keystone XL oil pipeline from crossing his land. The event is hosted by Students of Sustainability and the geography department.

Becoming involved or attending an event related to climate change and sustainability is an easy step in the right direction. It is as simple as realizing that we do not live on the earth, but with the earth. We must become more considerate and act as respectfully as we do with the roommates we have during our college years. To become a more conscious inhabitant of the earth is to create a better environment for all students.

SU is our home and we should maintain it as such. Although we attend a university that still serves meat on Meatless Monday and has yet to divest from the fossil fuel industry, that does not mean we cannot educate ourselves and grow on an individual basis in order to build a healthier future and a greener university.

Alexa Diaz is a freshman magazine journalism major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at adiaz02@syr.edu and followed on Twitter @AlexaLucina.

Published on January 28, 2015 at 12:29 am