Reduce Greenhouse Gases

To the Editors:

Because the Bush administration refuses to address climate change, people are taking the challenge into their own hands. Colleges and Universities across the country are realizing the urgency of the situation and taking action. A recent survey by the National Wildlife Federation found that 80 percent of American colleges are trying to conserve energy, and half have developed efficiency codes. Nearly a quarter use some form of renewable energy, and 12 percent power at least some of their vehicles with alternative fuel (Grist magazine, July 31, 2002). Many schools have agreed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. For example, all 56 College and University presidents in New Jersey have committed to reducing emissions 3.5 percent below 1990 levels by 2005. Over 35 schools have committed to purchasing renewable energy, including Swarthmore, Wesleyan and Tufts.
Tufts University is leading the movement for climate change activism on campuses. In 1999, their president pledged compliance with the Kyoto Protocol, lowering carbon dioxide emissions seven percent below 1990 levels by 2012. The Tufts Climate Initiative (TCI) is leading the campus with a variety of projects. They have already retrofitted a small 12- person dorm with solar arrays, solar hot water system, high-efficiency lighting, and other efficient technologies. TCI expects these improvements to result in significant savings, and other similar building projects are being planned. Additionally, Tufts purchases fivep ercent of its electricity from renewable sources.
Wesleyan University is also taking leadership in climate change activism. Currently, they purchase 10% of their electricity from renewable sources and hope to eventually increase to 100 percent. This initiative came after a three-week student campaign of education, media attention, and letter writing.
Since 1995, Carleton College has aggressively pursued energy conservation measures. Currently, it plans to install two 1.5 MW wind turbines by Sept. 2003 to support both the college and the local school district.
These are not the only colleges addressing climate change. Along with Tufts, Cornell University, SUNY Buffalo, and University of Colorado at Boulder have committed to the standards of the Kyoto Protocol. Students at UC Boulder voted to raise student fees $1 a semester to purchase wind energy. By raising student activity fees $25 a year, Connecticut College is able to purchase 22 percent of its electricity from renewable sources. Hampshire College has already reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent through energy efficiency and conservation. Middlebury College has established a Carbon Neutral Subcommittee of faculty, students, and administration working together to lower the college’s emissions.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions has the potential to save enormous amounts of money. SUNY Buffalo saves 9 million dollars a year through efficiency and conservation measures. Simple retrofits may have an initial capital cost, but after a payback period sometimes as short as 1-2 years, significant savings accrue. Many of the actions mentioned above were initiated for financial reasons. Reducing greenhouse gases is not only a great opportunity to save the college money at a financially difficult time, but can improve the College’s image as a green school.
Oberlin’s Lewis Center was one of the first green buildings on a college campus and it gave us the image as one of the top green schools in the country. The Lewis Center alone is no longer enough to sustain this image. Now, dozens of other schools have created their own green buildings. Oberlin is often compared to schools like Wesleyan, Carleton, Middlebury, Brown, and Swarthmore. All of these schools are actively addressing climate change, and are all ranked above Oberlin in college guides. It’s time to move beyond the Lewis Center; if we want to improve our image, addressing climate change must be a priority.

–Rebecca Byard
College senior

–Aviva Glaser
College junior