Satisfying sustainability supporters

Everyone knows that IU is better than Purdue -- it's a simple fact of life. Our campus is more attractive, our academics better and even our lack of a real mascot is superior to their Purdue Pete. However, IU has been falling behind Purdue and many other universities in a very critical area: campus environmental sustainability. While our School of Public and Environmental Administration is no slouch, Purdue has both a Center for the Environment and an Interdisciplinary Center for Ecological Sustainability. What's going on here?\nEnvironmental sustainability means living in such a way that we won't damage the world that future generations will inherit. Thankfully, it seems the awareness of our lack of environmental integrity may be catching on. Last Tuesday, IUSA voted to support a letter asking Interim Provost Michael McRobbie to create a campus Sustainability Task Force. While we applaud the folks at IUSA for getting the ball rolling, rest assured that we are also rolling our eyes, tapping our feet and muttering under our breath, "It's about time!" \nJust look around and you will see that IU has a long way to go. Our coal-burning power plant, ironically located behind SPEA, emits nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide into the air, while students, assuming electricity is free because they don't see the cost, waste it wantonly.\nWhat's more, despite the fact that we live in the middle of the giant cornfield that is southern Indiana, our dining halls are supplied by food products from far away. This means that by the time they arrive at the salad bar, your tomatoes have traveled so far onboard a diesel-powered, emission-generating semi that they practically need their own passports. \nAt IU, more trash ends up in the Jordan River than in the trash cans. The recycling bins on campus are also underused, and it is easier to find wads of chewed gum inside them than the plastic, aluminum and paper goods that should be there. In addition, planners are adding more parking garages rather than encouraging carpooling or improving our bus system -- moves that would significantly reduce the amount of exhaust that we release into the air.\nObviously, we have a daunting task ahead of us. Like Kermit the Frog once said, "It's not easy being green." However, it beats the alternative. Global warming and global climate change are happening here and now, and they are happening because of human actions. Sea levels are rising, droughts are becoming more frequent and severe weather systems are now becoming a normal occurrence (remember how quickly we ran out of names for hurricanes last year?). \nBesides, although the start-up costs of environmentally friendly initiatives may seem a bit steep, in the end, the reduction in waste disposal and energy costs from eco-friendly policies and green buildings will help us come out ahead financially. So congratulations, IUSA; you've got us headed in the right direction. But let's not celebrate just yet. We still have a long way to go.