Timothy Hawkins hosted an event put on by the Center for Land Use and Sustainability (CLUS) this past Wednesday.
Shippensburg University established CLUS in 2003 to provide education, promote sound land planning and enhance the quality of life in the five county region of Adams, Cumberland, Franklin and Perry counties in Pennsylvania.
The event sought to spread the word about Shippensburg University working on its greenhouse gas inventory and its climate action plan.
The event is part of a series of talks designed to raise awareness to the climate situation Shippensburg University is dealing with right now. Shippensburg University is working on inventorying its climate emissions and wants to lower them.
The climate of Shippensburg University was addressed and what the university is doing to lower its current carbon emissions.
Hawkins has advice for students to get involved in helping the environment right now.
“Educate yourselves on climate issues and vote for candidates that support climate initiatives” Hawkins said.
Hawkins knows that the climate needs to be addressed as soon as possible.
“The reality is the climate situation needs to be addressed immediately at the federal and international levels,” Hawkins said. “This can only happen when there are politicians willing to make these decisions.”
Students who are interested in the carbon inventory and net-zero emission movement can take the commuter survey which will be available in the spring 2022 semester, and can volunteer to participate in on-campus focus groups.
This can help students and faculty understand the carbon emissions of Shippensburg University and its commuter students.
Hawkins wants students to get involved right away.
“Students can become involved in preparing the climate action plan. The contact link on the CLUS website is the best route,” Hawkins said.
During the event, the urgency of the climate plan was established.
“We’re at a critical moment in human history when we still have the option to choose future pathways that will avoid the worst impacts of a changing climate,” Hawkins said. “That window is closing in the next decade, at which point we will no longer be able to choose the better options for humanity.”
Shippensburg University and CLUS will continue to deal with the changing climate of the area surrounding it.
For students interested in becoming more involved in the climate initiatives, they can refer to the CLUS website at centerforlanduse.org
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