Hopkins is going greener

The Hopkins community joined in on national Earth Week celebrations, holding more than 40 events to highlight sustainability efforts. The initiative — named One Hopkins, One Earth — displays the University’s commitment to green energy through a series of seminars, recycling drives, movie screenings and much more. A couple of specific events included the Take the Tap Water Challenge, in which students attempted to differentiate between bottled water and tap water, and the Toxic Tour of Baltimore, which took students and faculty on a bus ride to visit city locations in need of environmental cleanup.

This page emphatically supports One Hopkins, One Earth, and commends student groups on campus for underscoring the importance of sustainability efforts.

The sustainability movement is not only advantageous to the health of the environment, but it is also a vital supplement to the educational process of the University. It instills in students the notion that education is not a private endeavor, but rather a public project. Many students at Hopkins receive federal funds which allow them to study, and by working to provide a cleaner and more stable future, students are ensuring that society receives a return on its investment.

What’s more, the sustainability movement is crucial to rounding out a student’s education. Problem sets and textbook readings, though necessary, are abstract and intangible. But by engaging in efforts to make Hopkins greener and more sustainable, students have the opportunity to test the critical thinking and problem-solving skills their professors preach about during lectures. This type of service-learning is indispensable, and instills in students a deeper understanding of useful education.

In this tough economy with energy prices continuing to climb, sustainability efforts must be given our full attention. By updating our buildings, infrastructure and transportation systems, we are receiving immediate returns in cheaper operating costs. By throwing less money into dirty energy technology, we have the opportunity to invest more heavily in actual education, renovating research labs and increasing development on our campuses.

Additionally, sustainability has proven to be a top priority for students at Hopkins. The recent SGA Elections focused heavily on efforts to rid the University of polluting and antiquated technology, and students continually voice their desire to see cleaner practices here on campus. With One Hopkins, One Earth, students’ demands are beginning to be met.