To Till and to Tend

Oil Energy Money supports our communal mission to combat climate change by engaging in the moral imperitive of Earth Stewardship.  As he says, “This is why, while politicians argue over the cost of climate change and who to bill, religious leaders can encourage grass roots environmentalism on a global scale.”

“And I can do anything better than you!”

Ah, the thrill of competition.  In a capitalist society, such as ours, we constantly challenge ourselves to get ahead ofothers.  In the world of higher education, this is nothing new. Students and faculty alike strive to reach unbelievably high levels of intellectual and creative excellence.  Now, the competition is turning green.

Princeton Review, along with other publications like Grist Magazine, has anew college ranking category this year: the greenest colleges. According to a recent Princeton Review survey, 63% of 10,300 college applicants said a school’s environmental behavior could affect their decision to attend. Is it just me, or is that an impressive statistic?  This is a strong message to American schools because it saysthat our youth, like yours truly, want to develop as conscious, active citizens who care to protect the Earth.  Yet at a time when going green is ever popular, we need to carefully look beyond  mere lists of “top ten”sustainable schools and think about how a sense of competition actually affects the collegiate green scene.

I struggle with the concept of turning environmental stewardship into a contest. With so many lists out there displaying different schools and their actions, environmental “standards”suddenly become relative. Then students are left in the dark as to what actually should make a school green. As with many public competitions (like our elections perhaps?), exterior presentations are all too powerful influences. With colleges now racing to get their name on the “g” list, how do we know this isn’t a PR stunt?  After all, howcool does constructing LEED certified buildings or composting garbage sound to an 18-year-old comparedto planting trees or holding recycling contests?  It is important that colleges not get away with advertising environmental appeal over taking little of the actual, difficult actions that define sustainable development to back it up. 

Then again, while environmental competition can turn shallow with schools making minimal effort to get their name on a list, it can have significant results.   In economic terms, as demand for real environmental action increases, supply, must inevitably increase too. Looking at the lists some more, we can see just how responsive colleges are becoming to making environmental improvements. Some schools are really changing their infrastructure and lifestyles-and now they are rightfully being credited for it. Additionally, while a consensus on environmental standards to rate colleges are important, it is also vital to understand that each school must have the freedom to take initiatives based on its own unique opportunities and circumstances.

What I have left to say for all college applicants is, be smart and demanding consumers. Competition works only if it is regulated by an educated and active group of judges and if it leaves just enough wiggle room for innovation and individuality. Look at all the green school rankings out there only as introductions to your college search. Know what to look for as true signs of sustainability and environmental ethics and the diverse ways a college, your college, can go about fulfilling them.