Students at the Douglass College Government Association meeting Tuesday
night began to contemplate a new color for the University - green.
Cook
College senior Jeff McCurdy sought the Council's support for a new
project on behalf of the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group
Student Chapters.
NJPIRG is run and funded by students at the
University, and is comprised of five offices situated on all New
Brunswick/Piscataway, Newark and Camden campuses.
McCurdy, the
Cook/Douglass Campus Chapter chair of NJPIRG, informed the DCGA of a
new policy the group is trying to pass that would commit the University
to reducing of the school's global warming pollution to zero as soon as
possible.
"We hope this will be achieved by creating goals and
deadlines for the University to adhere to," he said. "There are several
ways the University can do it, ranging from changing to energy
efficient light bulbs to putting a renewable energy resource right here
on campus."
The plan proposes that it is time for the University
to adopt a plan to quickly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, and
take a leadership position in averting the worst effects of global
warming.
It recommends taking advantage of clean energy, increasing on-campus efficiency to stabilize and reduce energy costs.
Standards
are set in the proposal for the University to work toward conserving
energy and reducing pollution. One key part of the plan is to get at
least one source of renewable energy installed on each campus by next
year, and have 20 percent of its energy requirements generated on site
by the end of 2013 by solar, wind, geothermal or biofuel sources.
Funding
sources for the plans, as suggested by the proposal, include state
funding, a "Clean Energy Fund" the University could establish for
startup money, gifts and grants, and a student surcharge as a last
resort.
The proposal is a main component of the Campus Climate
Challenge, NJPIRG's major campaign this semester. The challenge is a
nationwide project of college campuses and high schools to become
leaders in reducing global warming pollution.
The campaign's other aspect includes educational events to inform
students on global warming solutions. Students' participation in such
events "show the University that students care about the issue of
global warming, and they want something to be done about it," McCurdy
said.
McCurdy
explained to the body that the proposal's success depends on the
support of the governing associations, student groups, deans,
professors and most importantly, the students.
The hope is that
all of the groups and students will back the proposal, and University
President Richard L. McCormick will announce that it will be adopted
come April 22, Earth Day.
"I think the NJPIRG proposal is very
ambitious - as it should be," said DCGA President Lillian Forero, a
senior. "The University might not be able to meet all of the things
outlined in the proposal, but some things - like buying energy
efficient light bulbs - seem feasible."
The Proposal for Rutgers
to Adopt Energy Conservation and On-Campus Clean Energy Production
Initiatives, drafted by College Avenue Campus NJPIRG Intern Margaret
Roth, was a joint effort by NJPIRG and the University's Sustainability
Committee.
