EON response to “green buildings”

“EON Questions Commitment to Green Building Standards” misrepresented Wesleyan’s green building initiatives and EON’s relationship with the Wesleyan administration. The Argus failed to mention EON member Annie Fox’s participation on the Usdan Planning Committee or Fox’s report that the new University center will meet very impressive environmental standards. It failed to note that EON’s new Climate Challenge Campaign has been greeted enthusiastically by members of Physical Plant and Project Save. The article did, however, include quotations taken out of context that implied suspicion of Wesleyan’s environmental intentions. It implied that EON doubted the school’s commitment to environmental responsibility without evidence indicating that EON members feel this way.

Certainly, EON has encountered bureaucratic and financial obstacles to some of our goals in the past. However, college environmental activists could have very little impact on campus without administrators assisting our efforts. It is damaging to our relationship and reputation to be misquoted and mischaracterized. More generally, the stereotype that university administrators are indifferent, lazy, or interested only in money leads to bad journalism and bad activism. We will all accomplish more if we stop assuming the administration is out to destroy our progressive ideals and work together instead.