Is UNM a sustainable university?
I'm not talking about its business policies. UNM will continue to operate into the future as well as any university in the U.S. But if our entire society collapses from beneath our feet, there may not be much left in the way of universities, an economy or people to educate.
Just take a look at our water intake on campus. Albuquerque is not naturally covered in thick grass and a plethora of trees, as Johnson Field and the Duck Pond might lead you to believe. Or, look at our transportation situation. Thousands of students commute to campus every day, pumping five pounds of carbon into the atmosphere for every gallon of gasoline they burn. The shuttles run for hours every day, coughing pollution nonstop as they transport people to and from relatively close parking lots.
This isn't to say trees, grass and a quick commute aren't nice. But when global warming starts wreaking havoc, and Albuquerque dries up - whether because of the depletion of the aquifer, overpopulation or changing weather patterns - they might not seem so nice, after all.
Humanity can't act in an unsustainable way forever and hope to, well, sustain itself.
I doubt that every individual will take the initiative and consume less, limiting his or her every action to those that don't carelessly harm the environment. Our government is slow to act, as well. But universities could take a leading role in promoting sustainable practices. If sustainability on a large scale is possible, universities are our best chance to prove it. I ask UNM - a business, community and engine of innovation - if it's up to the challenge. Will it convert all its vehicles to nonpolluting fuels, provide food and goods produced without exploitation and take aggressive steps to save water? Or, like most businesses and individuals in our country, will it go about its daily business refusing to believe that its actions have consequences?
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Joe Buffaloe
Opinion editor
