Urge your university to divest from fossil fuels, use renewable energy and commit to achieving net zero emissions—soon. But it is only the beginning of what is needed. Here are 4 ways that you can help fight climate change. Your opinions are important to us. That activity (our use of fossil fuels) has resulted in dramatically increased levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Your elected officials are here to represent you, and they have to listen if enough people speak up. Joining with one of these groups can allow you to join with like-minded people and make a much larger difference. And what does this climate action look like on the ground? In addition to their educational objectives, universities must continue to do even more in the research arena to provide actionable solutions for mitigating and adapting to climate change. Those of us in the academy should be asking ourselves Drive less. Read the original article. Organize your own campus sustainability initiative, or get active in your university's existing one. 1. Planting trees and caring for forests is something that must continue to do in this generation to the next generation. Universities should therefore lead global action to limit climate change. Turn off some lights. The university already has no direct shareholdings in fossil fuel companies. Many young adults across the country want to get involved, but they do not know how. Universities are vital hubs of research and teaching on climate change. Delicious insects. As large organizations, they also have significant emissions, which contribute to our climate crisis. We can all find ways to help shrink our individual carbon footprint, and one of … This Global Climate Change Week, students, staff, university communities, get informed. University scientists play crucial roles in investigating the origins and trajectory of climate change, in gauging its present and prospective consequences and in devising the new technologies that will … Voting for candidates who vocally support climate policy is one of the best ways to get the government involved. Everyone has a part to play in the fight against climate change – especially college students. The study, published in the Journal of ABOUT AMERICAN FORESTS American Forests is a national non-profit organization committed to, In response to the attack at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, American Forests issued the following, American Forests’ annual photo contest is an opportunity to showcase a wide array of forest scenes —, 1220 L Street, NW, Suite 750Washington, DC 20005, Phone: 202.737.1944 The University of Cambridge’s recent headline-grabbing announcement of a new research lab to develop radical scientific solutions to climate change is a welcome development. limit the global temperature increase to 1.5°C, International Universities Climate Alliance, Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability, Global Colleges and Universities Climate Letter, influential in the study of climate change and its impacts, University of California to dump fossil fuel investments, How salmonella uses a metabolite to reprogram the Krebs cycle to promote its own survival, Using the unpredictable nature of quantum mechanics to generate truly random numbers, Observing chiral edge states in gapped nanomechanical graphene, Gigantic dinosaur unearthed in Argentina could be largest land animal ever, 3-D printing highly stretchable hydrogel with diverse UV curable polymers. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no Cars are a major emitter of carbon dioxide. Their role as platforms for climate change research and engaged political commentary, as well as sustainable institutional practices, makes them global exemplars on climate action. January 19, 2021. Sustainability includes radically reducing carbon footprints. Many universities have made a start, but they must be more ambitious as climate action leaders. What Is Climate Change? Click here to sign in with Around the world events are being cancelled and travel plans dropped. Knowing will help you be able to make more informed decisions and make sustainable changes in your behavior and lifestyle. What is the role of our colleges and universities in this effort? If the Sahara is caused by the Hadley cell, it should ring the Earth like the Hadley cell, surely? Since 2010, the University of British Columbia has had a plan in place called Climate Action 2020. Students can take action by educating their non-environmentally informed friends about the perils of climate change, and the basic habits they can change in their daily lives (such as eating less meat) to help make an impact. part may be reproduced without the written permission. To understand the nuances of climate change, scientific knowledge is required. University of British Columbia. Most Americans believe climate change is real and that something should be done about it, but they seem to want someone else to do it—usually, the government. Turn off lights in empty rooms (of course) but also ask yourself, “Do I really … Just because your means may be limited does not mean your impact has to be. The University of Queensland has set up and maintains a A$125 million solar farm just outside Warwick to offset its annual electricity needs. Ocean-based actions can help curb climate change impacts, new international guidance shows Ocean-based actions can help curb climate change impacts, new international guidance shows Guide highlights fisheries among ways to increase ambition and resilience. For example, Deakin University has developed an industrial-scale microgrid: a 14.5 hectare solar energy farm with a 1 megawatt central battery. Climate change can be the result of natural events, such as volcanic eruptions. January 9th, 2020|Categories: Blog, Climate|. For instance, Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, developed an award-winning Climate Action Plan (CAP) in 2009 to promote a commitment to … In just a few short months, millions of people have been put into quarantine and regions locked down to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. You can make a difference, so go out there and do it. Like the University of Nottingham, Shandong Normal University has made great strides in creating a greener and more energy efficient campus, with initiatives such as double-sided printing (with no printing unless necessary), no plastic bags, and no disposable cups. Working with student or local groups to organize and institute changes in your community can really help in the long term. What you can do to reduce your carbon footprint in college may not be immediately obvious, but there are plenty of ways you can live more sustainably. Columbia University offers this year-long master’s degree for individuals who want to understand how they can be a change agent against the impacts of climate change. Reduce your carbon footprint. The need to cut greenhouse gas emissions is urgent—the consequences of not doing so catastrophic. Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox. Monash is investing A$135 million in its Net Zero initiative. Already partly solar-powered, the university has committed to carbon-neutral infrastructure and operations by 2030. Not only that, but working with local groups is a great way to get connected to larger groups. Tax ID: 53-0196544, © 2021 American Forests. The project integrates rooftop solar panels and smaller batteries across the Waurn Ponds campus. Science X Daily and the Weekly Email Newsletter are free features that allow you to receive your favorite sci-tech news updates in your email inbox, negative screening—no new investments in fossil-fuel-related industries. Some universities are generating their own renewable power. Science can help us adapt to climate change, but first we have to admit it is happening Research from a now defunded Australian adaptation centre … BEIJING — In an address to faculty and students at Tsinghua University today, Harvard President Drew Faust argued forcefully that universities have a unique and critical role to play in combating climate change.. She opened her remarks by recalling her last visit to Tsinghua in 2008. Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Drive Less. “Thinking about ways to increase soil carbon storage is a really important weapon in the arsenal [against climate change],” said Ben Taylor, an ecosystem ecologist and Ph.D. candidate in Columbia University’s Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology. Changing how industries are run or subsidised doesn’t sound like anything I can influence... can I? Climate change in a nutshell. The time is fast approaching when it will be too late for the world to address the danger of climate change. Yes, we need our lawmakers and leaders to take action if we’re going to address the long-term effects of climate change, but there are things we can do to make a difference. Stopping fossil fuels will help build clean energy for all. Fax: 202.737.2457 Universities lead on climate change by working in partnerships with other universities and other institutions. Many universities are basing their efforts on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. and Terms of Use. All Rights Reserved. Put A Price On It. What Can College Students Do to Fight Climate Change. We want to prevent forest threats like drought and fire made worse by climate change. Everyone knows that our responses to climate change must be speeded up. Use this tool to contact your local Congressman. In the US, cars and trucks account for almost … Our climate recognises no borders and so an international effort harnessing the innovative research of our universities to tackle critical issues such as greenhouse gas emissions is needed. When we take care of our forests now, they continue to take care of us into the future. Individuals can take action by thinking about where their money "sleeps at night" and removing it from the banks that they believe don't have a commitment to mitigating climate change… While individuals' dietary decisions don't come within the purview of potential … Ice Age glaciers can help us track the jet stream 12,000 ago, and by comparing its path today we can see how it's moving northwards, changing weather patterns and indicating climate change. The content is provided for information purposes only. They say that knowing is half the battle, which is why being educated on the effects of climate change goes a long way. Here in Australia, an ongoing campaign is pushing the 450,000-member higher education superannuation fund, UniSuper, to divest from fossil fuel investments. The reasons to act are obvious. As organizing committee members and academics working on climate change, we explore here what leadership in university-based climate action looks like. 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