Thursday, September 20, 2007
The
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is joining hundreds of other
campuses across the country by committing to make its campus more
environmentally friendly.
UW-Eau Claire, along with nearly 350 other colleges in the United
States, recently signed the American College and University Presidents
Climate Commitment.
University presidents from across the nation sign the ACUPCC as a
vow to make changes on their campuses to help curb global warming and
environmental issues by creating and enforcing greenhouse gas emissions
policies.
“We further recognize the need to reduce the global emission of
greenhouse gases by 80 percent by mid-century at the latest, in order
to avert the worst impacts of global warming and to re-establish the
more stable climatic conditions that have made human progress over the
last 10,000 years possible,” the ACUPCC website said.
By signing the ACUPCC, university presidents agree to implement these new policies within a two month period.
Michael Rindo, executive director of communications at UW-Eau
Claire, said the ways in which they plan to meet the ACUPCC’s
requirements are still being determined. The school is in the process
of developing strategic planning groups to make decisions regarding
energy, transportation and environmentally friendly buildings, Rindo
added.
“It’s more than just simply cutting emissions — it’s about being
stewards of place,” Rindo said. “Namely, we have a wonderful river that
flows through our campus, and we are responsible for preserving it.”
Rindo said these decisions will reflect a deep sense of respect for the environment.
The majority of UW-Eau Claire students were in favor of the
commitment, Rindo said, with 70 percent of students approving an
additional $10 tuition fee increase to help fund the redevelopment of a
student union that would make it more eco-friendly.
Other UW campuses have signed the ACUPCC, including River Falls,
Stevens Point, Superior, Whitewater, Green Bay and Oshkosh. UW-Madison
has yet to sign.
“I think it would be terrific if the university signed on with the
Presidents Climate Commitment,” said Rachel Butler, member of Wisconsin
Public Interest Research Group. “UW is doing work with [the
environment], but there is still a long way to go.”
Despite not being part of the ACUPCC, there are organizations on the
UW campus devoted to promoting a more environmentally friendly
university.
WISPIRG is one such organization and is dedicated to implementing
plans and promoting activism to guarantee a sustainable environment,
Butler said. The group is participating in a campaign called Big Red Go
Green, which aims to create awareness about energy consumption and
implementing changes to curb consumption habits.
UW is also participating in a campuswide program called We Conserve.
According to a letter from Chancellor John Wiley discussing the We
Conserve program, UW has begun “implementing a plan to trim campus
energy consumption per square foot by 20 percent by 2010.”
Butler said the best way students can make a change is to get involved in environmental issues on campus.
“The most important thing students can do right now is to take
ownership for the way they use energy in both a university and a
personal setting,” Butler said. “If students really are concerned with
having a green university and having UW-Madison be at the forefront of
energy and climate consciousness, then students are going to have to
step up and demand that we are a climate-conscious university.”
