The Best Way to Be Green

Three years ago, Harvard’s “Green Is the New Crimson” initiative began with a bang at a ceremony in Tercentenary Theater with Al Gore headlining.  The University outlined its strategy for becoming an environmentally sustainable institution, and has even rolled out a website, green.harvard.edu, that provides users with information about Harvard’s efforts and outlines ways to become involved in them.  Additionally, advising positions have been created for students that wish to shape the course of University policy.

Recently voiced concerns that fellow students are not as involved as they should be in green initiatives have made their way into this newspaper. These comments are ultimately misguided.  Events over the past months, such as the oil pipeline protest in Washington, D.C. that saw several Harvard students arrested and the organization of a petition listing donors who will not donate to Harvard if it does not provide cage-free eggs prove that, when they put their mind to it, Harvard students and community members are more than capable of promoting green initiatives.  Students’ choice not to lead or participate in environmental activism is not necessarily indicative of apathy; there are countless other social activism causes on campus and it is unfair to critique students for choosing any one over another.

At Harvard, students are fortunate to have a multitude of resources available to them, including UC funding, should they wish to start a new club or movement, and we encourage any student that does not find his or her desired advocacy issue addressed by the current crop of organizations on campus to found a new one.  However, we urge students aspiring to promote environmental causes to think carefully and critically about their intended courses of action.  Policing students’ power strips and napkin usage reduces some waste, but it may be more effective to leverage the incredible resources provided to us in our four short years at Harvard to concentrate on macro-issues such as green energy policy or scientific clean-tech breakthroughs.

Similarly, students would be remiss not to consider the full implications of joining Harvard-sponsored green organizations on campus.  Student employees of the Food Literacy Project, for example, may find it difficult or awkward to speak out in favor of cage-free eggs in the dining halls because of their position on the University payroll.  Performing due diligence on an organization before joining, in order to better understand its motivations and potential limitations, is a practice that will serve students well beyond their time in Cambridge.

Ultimately, we always appreciate it when students take action to make themselves heard, as it demonstrates that our free-speech and democratic liberties are not being taken for granted. It signifies that Harvard students are not afraid of expressing themselves and their ideals, and this is certainly true on the subject of the environment.