“Where is Harvard yard?” “Where’s the food?” and “What can we do to change that?” were frequently asked questions last weekend as 500 students from across the United States and Canada wandered bemusedly around Harvard. No, it wasn’t a naked quad run, or a demonstration, or a plane crash. In fact, we were all there to attend a climate conference. Representing Wesleyan were 9 EON members. We went to workshops on topics ranging from how to talk to the media to green building to companies that sell green energy. We had state breakout sessions where the Wes students joined forces with students from Yale, Trinity, Eastern University, UConn and other Connecticut schools to discuss the situation in CT. There were keynote speakers and movies and some good old Harvard style parties.
At one point, we assembled outside the Science Center and spelled CLEAN ENERGY with conference participants, and took pictures from the roof. The image is powerful in two ways, both of which represented for me the importance of the conference. First, clean energy is extremely important in developing a sustainable world. Second, it was inspiring that so many college age students came together to work towards a future we believe in.
People like to give us EON members a hard time. But, honestly, I don’t understand how anyone can think of living for another 60 years in the destructive manner we do today. Landfills pile up, coal smokestacks pour pollution into the air we breathe, and forests and jungles are clear cut daily. How could we do nothing? Wesleyan, despite our reputation for being a liberal, environmental, earthy school, does not have very good environmental policies. For one, we do not purchase any clean energ—lthough we used to. One of EON’s current campaigns is to get Wes to buy 20% clean energy next year. It is extremely important for major energy consumers, like universities, to lead the way to clean energy use. Many of our peer universities already buy clean energy. Wind, solar and small hydro are all forms of clean energy that are already used. Also, recycling is not as organized and effective at Wes as it could be. This is also (surprise!) an ongoing EON campaign. At Harvard this past weekend, there were recycling bins everywhere; last time I tried to recycle something in MoCon, the recycling bin was upside down behind the trash cans. Student support on these issues is vital. The administration needs to know that we want a more environmentally friendly campus.
As cheesy as it sounds, we are the future. Care enough to save it.
EON meets Mondays at 10PM in the Woodhead Lounge in the Science Center. Stop by!
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