Students are challenging schools across the country to help curb global warming by reducing their greenhouse gas emissions in a campaign called “Campus Climate Challenge.”
The challenge is sponsored by 30 U.S. and Canadian environmental and social justice organizations. Patrick Walsh, a junior in meteorology, leads the effort at the U.
“One of the goals is to reduce emissions at the U by two percent each year,” said Walsh. “We would like to continue this until the year 2050.”
The two percent reduction goal will have to be a combined endeavor between administration and students.
“With the conjunction of plant operations, environmental health and safety and the student group championing this effort, it can be done,” said Judy Moran, environmental specialist for the U’s environmental health and safety department. The Campus Climate Challenge is also trying to make things happen on an individual level.
“We are challenging students as individuals to reduce their emissions,” Walsh said.
To build awareness, Walsh will issue a survey asking about current behaviors and use the information to highlight changes that can be made to reduce the production of harmful gases.
“It’s an important part of this movement that people do make (reducing emissions) a personal responsibility,” he said.
Walsh is also forming an organization to register with the Associated Students of the University of Utah to bring environmentally conscious students together. The group is calling themselves the Progressive Students of University of Utah Network.
Anyone who would like to help with the challenge or register with PSUUN can contact Walsh at [email protected] or find information at www.campusclimatechallenge.org.
Andrew Thompson