earth

By Mark Kollar

All around McDaniel, we can see the “Go Green!” message, but “going green” can mean a lot of things: collecting waste selectively, using less electricity, using less plastic to protect wildlife, or smoking less, which is equally harmful to the environment. Learning and promoting the notion of “going green” is vital for nature because it helps us to care for our environment, making it a better place to learn and live. There are plants and animals around us (such as the cat living in the campus yard), and we must assist them live better, healthier lives. You can help to protect nature and these animals/plants by avoiding throwing trash away and smoking only in designated areas. Since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian War, energy prices have skyrocketed across Europe, so the College has had to deal with increased energy costs. To assist the College, we must simply comprehend and participate in the “Go Green” message, such as consuming less electricity by turning off the lights as we leave the classrooms.

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Becoming green also includes a focus on sustainability. Currently, we hear the word sustainability a lot, which is very important concept in our world. Our nature is suffering from overconsumption, as humans use too many materials and produce a grand amount of waste that our ecology cannot handle. So far, we were unable to stop waste not only in our college and its surrounding area, but also in other parts of the world. There are floating islands of plastic and other rubbish emerging in the oceans, which are terrible for oceanic life since many species die because of the waste they eat or because these islands block sunlight, a source of their life. As a result, throwing out less trash can allow us to save lives, while also protecting the environment.

Sustainability also means using more public transportation and driving less. Using public transportation to college, for example, can be done fast and easily, demonstrating that we do not always need cars. Another major current issue is global warming, which is accelerated by carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from automobiles. By using public transport, we can reduce the level of CO2 emissions and thus slow down global warming. Global warming causes natural changes all around the world, with climate becoming more hectic than usual. Consider the situation of Hungary, where there has been less rain in the summer and less snow in the winter in recent years as a result of climate change. This is undeniably dangerous for agriculture and nature alike, so it is in the interest of both humanity and nature to slow down global warming and live in a sustainable way.

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Picture by Noah Buscher via Unsplash

The United Nations, a powerful intergovernmental authority with the potential to make key decisions, established the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the most important part of sustainability, in order to combat global warming and construct a more sustainable society.The key Goals on this matter are SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy) and SDG 12 (sustainable cities and communities). Among other things, these points emphasize the need of using clean energy such as renewable electricity (solar, hydropower, wind, etc.) instead of gasoline. Also, in relation to SDG 12, our student body, McDaniel College, is a community that can become more sustainable by “going green.”

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