Staff Editorial: The way the wind blows

"We cannot command Nature except by obeying her." ~ Sir Francis Bacon

More than any time in recent memory, the health of the environment is at the forefront of public discourse, on both the national and local levels. Terms such as "sustainability" and "green" have become pervasive and are inspiring a myriad of societal trends. To some extent, these terms that were once the jargon of environmentalists and scientists are becoming pop-culture buzzwords.

Our campus is somewhat of a hot spot for the growing mass of students and citizens calling for more responsible environmental stewardship. Just last semester, the university hosted Power Shift 2007, a multi-day gathering of activists and students who sought to combat climate change. Just last week, the university's Earth Day celebration saw student attendance double compared to last year. One cannot help but feel there is an element of the bandwagon effect at play in the rapidly increasing importance of environmental issues.

But the fact is there is more to this new awareness than a simple trend. There is real intellectual weight behind the idea that institutions as large as this university must bear responsibility for the environments they fill. The ways in which we obtain and make use of energy should be matters of reflection, and waste and profligacy ought to be avoided wherever possible.

To that end, the news that the Maryland Environmental Service is investigating our campus for ways to implement more environmentally sound methods of generating electricity ought to be celebrated. The agency wants to determine if such ideas as wind turbines or geothermal generators would be feasible and/or sustainable on the campus. The geography and climate of our university might make this a fruitless endeavor, but it is nonetheless worthwhile.

Regardless of the consensus on the state of Earth's climate, it would be nearly impossible to dispute the obligation to produce and use energy wisely. The university seems to have recognized this and is taking action at an institutional level. There is mention of achieving carbon neutrality and a greater level of sustainability in the 10-year strategic plan. According to that plan, we aim to be "a campus that is a model for the sustainability of its environment," and to "substantially reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions."

There is no shortage of rhetoric on the subject of environmental responsibility, but the new survey by MES represents real action to back up that rhetoric. This should encourage those who have been active in the cause of sustainability, as well as those who simply want to minimize the negative effects of our university on the environment.

POLICY: The signed letters, columns and cartoon represent only the opinions of the authors. The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Diamondback's editorial board and is the responsibility of the editor in chief.