Published: April 15, 2010

Fordham University has green fever. From planting trees to retrofitting university buildings to be more environmentally friendly, Fordham is well on its way to cutting its carbon-emissions by 30 percent by 2017. That’s the promise Fordham made as a part of PlanNYC, a plan spearheaded by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to reduce New York City’s green house gasses by 2030.

As Ashley WennersHerron reports in on page one, the administration is doing what it can on a small budget. One major investment was an overhaul of Fordham College at Rose Hill’s (FCRH) power plant. The campus is now powered by steam instead of oil. However, the switch was practically invisible. The University was also quiet about the installation of a solar-sensitive panel on the roof of Walsh library, which will offset the library’s electric costs by five percent. There have been a few murmurs about some green applications for the new dormitories at FCRH, such as low-flow toilets and showers.

As for the student voice—well, we can barely hear it. And now is no time for a whisper. Fordham received a C+ on the most recent College Sustainability Green Report Card. The administration received an A, but we got a D for student involvement. That’s unacceptable. The University and the administration are working toward real change. What are we, as students, doing?

Here is our chance! Listen up, millennials—We know you care about the world; we read your blog entries on global warming and baby seals. So where are you when we can make a true difference for the future of Fordham, New York City and maybe even Earth?

There are some simple, tried-and-true ways to boost our sustainability without making monumental changes to the ways we live our lives. For one, actually recycle! It might be tempting to throw that empty soda bottle into the same can as your old banana peels, but the good you do  for the environment by hauling an extra bag to the blue bins in the trash room makes the additional effort worth your while.

Another simple, relatively unknown step we can all take is to unplug phone chargers while our phones aren’t charging. Most people don’t know it, but the same amount of energy is surging through the charger whether or not it’s actually charging anything. So when you snatch up your phone after a night of being plugged in, pull the plug from the wall before you jet off to class. And of course, remember to turn off the lights when you leave the room!

Let’s put some weight behind our words. The administration is willing to listen. Become a part of the dialogue. It takes planning and it takes work, but the payoff is worth it. We have the opportunity to be a part of something big—something that will improve our world. As we know, Fordham may be our school, but New York City is our campus. Let’s make it better.