In honor of the pointless, storm-packed interlude to summer that we call spring, I'd like to take this opportunity to discuss one of the trendiest and most overlooked real issues in America and the world today. Sustainability is on every tongue and every business banner and every political platform, but are we really that gung-ho about sustainability or is it just another hip way to judge people for eating steak?
I say it's number two. Climate change is an incredibly pressing world issue, and yet anyone who has ever and will ever discuss sustainability won't say a single thing about reducing carbon emissions or battling climate change because its just a mite too edgy for most.
As Earth Day approaches we'll hear plenty about recycling and saving water and shutting off our computers before we put off to bed, but any self respecting environmentalist can tell you that those things won't make a lick of difference as long as a coal plant offsets your earth friendly practices with a few thousand metric tons of atmospheric pollution.
Here's a fun personal activity, dear readers. Think of all the times you've heard the phrases green, go green, or sustainability in the last month. How many of those uses prefaced a discussion of alternative energy use, of policies to restrict greenhouse gas emissions, of (gasp) climate change?
I'm willing to bet that if you're honest with yourselves the answer will be one or less.
But I'm not just whining, I've got a suggestion. I say this year we do our duty to mother earth by confronting a Greenwasher or two. We all care enough about the environment to eat nothing but stalks of celery and ride horses to school and read in the dark for the rest of our lives, but wouldn't we find it a bit easier to simply take on the businesses and products that pollute our environment on a daily basis?
That said (ranted) there are a great many opportunities on campus to get involved in cleaning up the earth and creating a sustainable future. Check out Use Less Win More, the Loras Sustainability Committee, or even the Dubuque Sustainability Challenge at a city level for some entertaining and active ways to celebrate earth day.
That's all folks, hug a polar bear (not actually, those things will eat your face and gum your organs.)
