Invest
Green with College $$
To
the Editors:
Oberlin
College is in the business of preparing young people to become responsible,
thoughtful citizens of the world. As a college that considers itself
to be socially aware and responsible, it is necessary that Oberlin
practice what it preaches. One way to do this would be for the College
to invest part of its endowment in green business and energy.
This sort of investment would indicate that Oberlin recognizes the
importance of supporting businesses and institutions that are proactively
working towards a more sustainable world. Oberlin is already seen
as a leader in the field of social justice and environmental awareness,
evidenced by its progressive history and its use of green architecture.
However, the ideals that the Oberlin College community holds dear
could and should extend to its long-term investments. We, the undersigned,
believe it is necessary for Oberlins investment practices
to accurately reflect the commitments of the institution and the
sentiments of its students and faculty members.
Investing in green energy does not have to mean financial sacrifice.
For example, wind power is considered to be one the fastest growing
energy resource industries in the world. In the near future, fossil
fuels will no longer be a viable source of energy. Thus, alternative
energy resources will only become more pervasive.
Private investment in the green energy business is especially important
now that the United States government has officially pulled out
of the Kyoto Protocol and other proposed measures to phase in renewable
energy and phase out oil and coal. Forward-thinking institutions
such as the University of Colorado at Boulder are beginning to realize
that renewable energy sources will only become more pervasive as
fossil fuels continue to lose their appeal. These schools are vanguards
in a green revolution that is practical, profitable and principled.
Since Oberlin is a socially aware institution with a large endowment,
it seems natural that we join others in becoming a model for private
investment in renewable energy and green enterprise. Thus, we also
suggest the College challenge other academic institutions that have
similar commitments to environmental conservation, such as Tufts
and Brown University, to do the same.
We ask the administration to take this proposition seriously. Students
and faculty members interested in working with the administration
on the project, please e-mail Thomas.Simchak@oberlin.edu.
Lyrica
Hammann
College sophomore
Claire Jahns
College junior
Cat Richert
College junior
Thomas Simchak
College junior
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