With only one small, outdated alternative energy program on campus, Miami University currently depends on fossil fuels for over 99 percent of its energy, said Adam Harris, student body vice president.
Miami's heavy dependency on fossil fuels is one reason Associated Student Government (ASG) passed a bill Tuesday to support Miami's signing of a climate commitment to reduce its carbon footprint.
Matt Forrest, off-campus senator, drafted the bill to support Miami's signing of the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).
"(The ACUPCC) basically commits Miami University to developing a plan to become carbon neutral sometime in the future," Forrest said.
Carbon neutral implies a net carbon emission of zero, Harris said.
"Just by having the lights on, we're producing carbon in some shape or form," Harris said. "But it's a matter of carbon offsets."
A wind turbine and an abundance of trees are two things which will help offset Miami's carbon emissions, bringing it closer to becoming carbon neutral, Harris said.
Forrest described signing the ACUPCC as joining a larger community made up of American universities that work to hold each other accountable for meeting their specific goal reductions of carbon emissions.
About two and a half years ago, the commitment was sent out nationwide, giving every university president the option of signing it. President David Hodge was presented the commitment, but did not sign it because a lack of communication among Miami's departments inhibited the university's ability to take on such an initiative, Harris said.
Since the initial proposal of the commitment, the Presidential Task Force on Environmental Sustainability has created unity among departments, bringing the campus closer together. This campus-wide unity puts Miami in a position to establish a solid roadmap to carbon neutrality and to meet the goals of the commitment, Harris said.
Signing the commitment would not only reduce Miami's net carbon emissions, but it would also educate the student body about environmental issues, preparing its students to combat related issues after graduation.
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"Learning doesn't happen just within the classroom … if the technologies are here, then we can better learn from them," Harris said. "If there's a wind turbine out north of campus, we can go out and see how it affects daily life."
In addition to providing supplementary environmental education to students, Miami's increased regard for the environment would raise awareness among its students.
"As we promote our LEED-certified building, students understand what the difference is," Harris said, referring to the Farmer School of Business, Miami's first and only building to win a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. "There is (also) a difference when (students) can go out to the recycling center and see where our recycling goes," Harris said. "I think that just the overall raising of the profile of sustainability is going to have a significant impact (on students)."
First-year Rachel Horn agrees that Miami engaging in more environmentally conscious activities would change student outlook.
"If students get more exposure to green technologies like the (wind turbine), they'll be more likely to implement green practices when they grow up," Horn said. "If the campus I'm on goes green, I'm more likely to go green when I graduate … you hear about global warming all the time, but you don't get to see what people are doing to change it."
Harris said Miami has fallen behind numerous other universities, which have already signed the commitment.
"It's embarrassing on some level that there are 667 schools that have already signed it," Harris said.
First-year Amy Seagraves supports Miami's signing of the commitment.
"I think (signing the commitment) is a good idea because it's a good way for Miami to make a statement that we're environmentally aware," Seagraves said.
First-year Rachel Sparks agrees.
"The environment is a major part of the global community nowadays," Sparks said. "Bringing awareness to the environment is important."
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