SNC Celebrates Earth Day
Sarah Spaulding
Issue date: 5/6/09 Section: News
Students cleaned up the campus on Thursday and on Friday participated in Arbor Day tree planting. Chip Bircher of Wisconsin Public Service also spoke on campus about how green St. Norbert could potentially be.
However, SNC is encouraged to be concerned about environmental sustainability more than one week out of the year.
According to Hansen, the college could become greener if people re-evaluated their priorities.
"We live in a culture of convenience. When students go to Phil's, they are using Styrofoam cups or containers when they get food to go, and there are paper wrappers everywhere. Because we are constantly on the go, we want to be instantly gratified. This instant gratification harms us. Even plastic water bottles could be replaced with reusable containers," said Hansen.
Hansen also believes that a strong connection to an environment is essential.
"We are so used to walking on cement and using technology, but when we are surrounded by nature we can think beyond our text messages. Nature also rejuvenates us," said Hansen.
When it comes to keeping our campus clean, there is still work to be done.
"I think the biggest problem is the cigarette butts that are littering our campus. I feel that smokers may be resentful toward the 25 feet rule or may not care. Cigarette butts take 27 years to decompose, and even though plastic takes much longer it is also an aesthetic thing," said Hansen.
St. Norbert is a charter signatory to the President's Climate Commitment, which provides structured action plans for environmental sustainability. However, St. Norbert does not have an environmental coordinator, which most colleges have.
Hansen concluded, "I think that if we had a more passionate student body it would make a bigger difference. A lot of progress depends on the student body."
However, SNC is encouraged to be concerned about environmental sustainability more than one week out of the year.
According to Hansen, the college could become greener if people re-evaluated their priorities.
"We live in a culture of convenience. When students go to Phil's, they are using Styrofoam cups or containers when they get food to go, and there are paper wrappers everywhere. Because we are constantly on the go, we want to be instantly gratified. This instant gratification harms us. Even plastic water bottles could be replaced with reusable containers," said Hansen.
Hansen also believes that a strong connection to an environment is essential.
"We are so used to walking on cement and using technology, but when we are surrounded by nature we can think beyond our text messages. Nature also rejuvenates us," said Hansen.
When it comes to keeping our campus clean, there is still work to be done.
"I think the biggest problem is the cigarette butts that are littering our campus. I feel that smokers may be resentful toward the 25 feet rule or may not care. Cigarette butts take 27 years to decompose, and even though plastic takes much longer it is also an aesthetic thing," said Hansen.
St. Norbert is a charter signatory to the President's Climate Commitment, which provides structured action plans for environmental sustainability. However, St. Norbert does not have an environmental coordinator, which most colleges have.
Hansen concluded, "I think that if we had a more passionate student body it would make a bigger difference. A lot of progress depends on the student body."
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