Environmental group sets goals for Pitt
By:
Henry Clay Webster
Issue date: 1/18/08 Section: News
At their second meeting of the semester Wednesday night, campus environmental group Free the Planet unveiled their campaign goals for this semester.
The group, sponsored by the Environmental Studies Department, focuses on environmental issues that primarily affect Pitt's campus - and to a lesser extent, Pittsburgh as a whole.
Co-president Emily Broich summarized the group's top semester objective.
"What we're trying to do this semester is collect signatures to reduce carbon emissions [at Pitt]," Broich said.
Broich said the petition, which will be made available to students at campus events, asks signatories to agree to the simple statement that Pitt should reduce its carbon emissions to zero. Once they have collected all 1,500 signatures, the group will take the petition to the administration to demonstrate campus solidarity for this objective.
But the petition is only the first step. In addition to handing the petition to the administration, group members are simultaneously working on other campaigns that would help Pitt make good on its promise - that is, if they agree to follow the petition.
One of the main means of reducing carbon emissions at Pitt, according to co-president Lindsay Blotzer, is to have Facilities Management change existing incandescent light bulbs for compact fluorescent lights, or CFLs, which are more energy-efficient.
Additionally, Blotzer will address other activities in which the University wastes energy, including the large number of lights that are left on overnight in campus buildings. Free the Planet wants Pitt to save energy by making sure these lights are turned off at night.
There is also a plan to lobby the University to offer a bike rental program.
"As a freshman I didn't bring a bike, and I was wary of riding in the city, but after a while I got used to it," Broich said.
If Pitt offers a program like this, Broich thinks that more students will leave their vehicles at home - a development that would not only reduce pollution but also traffic congestion. Broich said that the group wants to work in conjunction with the Parking, Transportation and Services Department to reach this goal.
The group, sponsored by the Environmental Studies Department, focuses on environmental issues that primarily affect Pitt's campus - and to a lesser extent, Pittsburgh as a whole.
Co-president Emily Broich summarized the group's top semester objective.
"What we're trying to do this semester is collect signatures to reduce carbon emissions [at Pitt]," Broich said.
Broich said the petition, which will be made available to students at campus events, asks signatories to agree to the simple statement that Pitt should reduce its carbon emissions to zero. Once they have collected all 1,500 signatures, the group will take the petition to the administration to demonstrate campus solidarity for this objective.
But the petition is only the first step. In addition to handing the petition to the administration, group members are simultaneously working on other campaigns that would help Pitt make good on its promise - that is, if they agree to follow the petition.
One of the main means of reducing carbon emissions at Pitt, according to co-president Lindsay Blotzer, is to have Facilities Management change existing incandescent light bulbs for compact fluorescent lights, or CFLs, which are more energy-efficient.
Additionally, Blotzer will address other activities in which the University wastes energy, including the large number of lights that are left on overnight in campus buildings. Free the Planet wants Pitt to save energy by making sure these lights are turned off at night.
There is also a plan to lobby the University to offer a bike rental program.
"As a freshman I didn't bring a bike, and I was wary of riding in the city, but after a while I got used to it," Broich said.
If Pitt offers a program like this, Broich thinks that more students will leave their vehicles at home - a development that would not only reduce pollution but also traffic congestion. Broich said that the group wants to work in conjunction with the Parking, Transportation and Services Department to reach this goal.
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