by Jeremy Hunt
Daily Lobo
Students who need a minor and want to fight for the environment have an option in the Sustainability Studies Program.
It is time for students to save the world from disaster, and sustainability is an important part of that, said Bruce Milne, director of the program.
"The globe is facing an impending collapse," he said. "We're in the largest extinction since 65 million years ago when dinosaurs went extinct."
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The sustainability program hosted a monthly forum this semester for students, faculty and staff to talk about how UNM can use its resources more efficiently.
The last meeting for the semester was Thursday in the Honors Forum Lounge.
A minor in sustainability was approved this semester, and classes will begin in the fall.
Milne said the courses will be scheduled soon, and students can sign up for Sustainability 134 and 334.
"It's dedicated to sustainability on and off campus," he said.
Milne said the program has come a long way in a year.
It has a turbocharged biodiesel van and is building a solar-powered, mobile information kiosk with exhibits that will give students hands-on experience with sustainability, Milne said.
The program works with the Sustainability Task Force, a committee that is writing a University policy to address energy efficiency.
The task force's goals parallel those of the sustainability program, said Jeff Zumwalt, a task force member.
"We're trying to build a policy that covers the whole University community," he said.
The policy is structured to focus on governance, operations, curriculum and community service, he said.
Zumwalt said it is a work in progress.
"Policies take a long time," he said. "Regardless of the final shape of the policy, we know there are things we can do today to support that policy."
People need to be aware of the small things they can do to be more efficient, such as turning off lights and computers, said Mary Vosevich, chairwoman of the task force.
"We have an educational opportunity at this University," she said. "We need to start getting the word out."
Vosevich said the task force brainstorms ways energy efficiency can be addressed, such as using motion lights in classrooms and large buildings.
"We're trying to look at it from many different perspectives," she said. "We have a long way to go."
Milne said the committee should present a draft of the policy toward the end of the year.
Zumwalt said the policy will move UNM forward, he said.
"The policy is kind of going to be the infrastructure that will support sustainability," he said. "It would be the first major step toward laying the groundwork to major change."
The biggest challenge the committee faces is understanding how much to ask for, Zumwalt said.
"Sustainability means different things to different people," he said. "If we strive to be too aggressive, we risk difficulty with getting it approved."
