Students Come Together to Preserve and Protect the Environment

Clark Poccia--- SUNY Oneonta

It is important to understand that the world is an imperfect place. People need be mindful that the environment is extremely important to protect and preserve. There are clubs and organizations on SUNY Oneonta campus that help to protect and preserve the environment.

One club on campus is the Environmental Activism Club. An environmental science student and club member, Kelsey McKeighan speaks about ways the campus is attempting to protect the environment.

“The water refilling stations that they have on campus now.” Kelsey states, are an important addition to Oneonta campus.

She says, “In addition to having the typical water fountain they also have a fountain that pours strait down so it encourages students to use reusable water bottles. It also has a number on the top that states the amount of water bottles that were saved from landfills by using the refillable filling stations.”

Little additions to campuses around the world would eliminate tons of plastic each year from landfills.

Another member of the Environmental Activism Club, Grace Maecker, also talks about ways the campus has become more environmentally friendly.

“There is a storm water retention basin behind Golding Hall. The environmental club planted a whole bunch of plants down there to help filter the water and collect pollutants.”

According to Oneonta Campus Connection the Environmental Activism Club is tasked with “enhancing awareness within the campus and surrounding Oneonta community about environmental issues that affect all living beings on Earth. These range from fossil fuel extraction (fracking, tar sands), climate change, deforestation, and waste. In addition, they organize actions on campus and in the local community aimed at mitigating humanity's effect on the natural world.”

While the Environmental Activism Club is definitely helping Oneonta’s campus immensely, there are still environmental problems on campus that can be improved upon. 

     

Kelsey McKeighan states, “One major problem on campus is the landscaping that they have. All of the bright red mulch that is on campus is filled with really bad chemicals and pollutants that can pollute nearby bodies of water.”

The world will never be a perfect place, but it is important to realize what is harmful and what is not to our environment.

SUNY Oneonta has undoubtedly taken big steps in the right direction of environmental protection. Every year clubs like the Environmental Activism Club will continue to make Oneonta’s campus a better place.