by Nikki Cheshire and Nia Sherony
Let’s talk about seeing the future. A fortune teller in a tent somewhere reads your palm and tells you about your future spouse, how many children you will have and that good fortune will follow you. But what about the bigger picture? The future of every one of you, Voices? What is your fate and that of the world around you?
The answer is that we have the ability to enact whatever change we choose. Though we are individual voices, together we can have a positive impact on our community, and -- on a larger scale -- our country and our world.
As moderators of the upcoming forum, we would like to invite you to our Sustainability Discussion at Webster’s Bookstore on February 27 & February 28 starting at 6pm.
One of the main issues the world faces is environmental sustainability. This means preserving the wonderful place where we live for ourselves, our children and future generations. Working with the environment instead of against it. After all, the state of the environment affects everyone, and therefore protecting it is everyone’s responsibility. But the conflict is this: How do we continue to grow, balancing our progress and the state of the environment at the same time?
Here at Penn State, many undergraduate students are required to complete nine credits of Natural Sciences, regardless of their major. Several organizations and groups organize recycling events, and composting bins are cropping up in dining halls campuswide. Though we may not be experts on the subject, so many of us Voices already have our own ideas and insights into sustainability, even just in the State College area. And that allows us to discuss possible methods and solutions.
But despite everything our community does in order to attain sustainability, there’s still so much more to be accomplished and to be learned: What are simple ways we can cut down on our waste? What is Penn State already doing? What can the Centre County community do in the future? We have the knowledge and technology to live sustainably, but involving the community and asking for its dedication to the project is another question entirely.
This is why we need to come together and discuss our future: Education about sustainability is the first step to building a network that cares and works together to achieve this goal. This is an opportunity to recognize that sustainability is not about “them, later.” It’s about “us, now”; our friends, our community, today in the cafeteria, tomorrow in the arboretum and the next day back at home.
Centre County Voices, we want to know what you think. Come to our open forum. You can share your knowledge, whether you’ve taken classes on conservation, are a member of an environmentally-conscious organization, or you just like learning about the environment. Even if you’re a listener, come on out and learn something new.
The environment in which we live affects everyone, and every one of your Voices should have a say in its future.
Sincerely,
Nikki Cheshire and Nia M. Sherony
Discussion Moderators
Let’s talk about seeing the future. A fortune teller in a tent somewhere reads your palm and tells you about your future spouse, how many children you will have and that good fortune will follow you. But what about the bigger picture? The future of every one of you, Voices? What is your fate and that of the world around you?
The answer is that we have the ability to enact whatever change we choose. Though we are individual voices, together we can have a positive impact on our community, and -- on a larger scale -- our country and our world.
As moderators of the upcoming forum, we would like to invite you to our Sustainability Discussion at Webster’s Bookstore on February 27 & February 28 starting at 6pm.
One of the main issues the world faces is environmental sustainability. This means preserving the wonderful place where we live for ourselves, our children and future generations. Working with the environment instead of against it. After all, the state of the environment affects everyone, and therefore protecting it is everyone’s responsibility. But the conflict is this: How do we continue to grow, balancing our progress and the state of the environment at the same time?
Here at Penn State, many undergraduate students are required to complete nine credits of Natural Sciences, regardless of their major. Several organizations and groups organize recycling events, and composting bins are cropping up in dining halls campuswide. Though we may not be experts on the subject, so many of us Voices already have our own ideas and insights into sustainability, even just in the State College area. And that allows us to discuss possible methods and solutions.
But despite everything our community does in order to attain sustainability, there’s still so much more to be accomplished and to be learned: What are simple ways we can cut down on our waste? What is Penn State already doing? What can the Centre County community do in the future? We have the knowledge and technology to live sustainably, but involving the community and asking for its dedication to the project is another question entirely.
This is why we need to come together and discuss our future: Education about sustainability is the first step to building a network that cares and works together to achieve this goal. This is an opportunity to recognize that sustainability is not about “them, later.” It’s about “us, now”; our friends, our community, today in the cafeteria, tomorrow in the arboretum and the next day back at home.
Centre County Voices, we want to know what you think. Come to our open forum. You can share your knowledge, whether you’ve taken classes on conservation, are a member of an environmentally-conscious organization, or you just like learning about the environment. Even if you’re a listener, come on out and learn something new.
The environment in which we live affects everyone, and every one of your Voices should have a say in its future.
Sincerely,
Nikki Cheshire and Nia M. Sherony
Discussion Moderators
I would not be available to attend this, but I would like to know what' the status on the Zipcar. I've heard that It was halted, and I would like to know the status and when it would be available in State College.
ReplyDeleteFor those unfamiliar with the concept of ZipCar, it is a new and innovative way for individuals to rent a car for recreational use. For only $35.00 annually and $8.00 per hour of rental time, anyone over the age of 18 with a valid driver’s license for one year or more can rent a car with gas and insurance included. You go online to reserve a vehicle, and all you need is the keycard that ZipCar mails you to access the car! The concept gaining popularity on college campuses because so many students are unable to bring their cars onto campus due to how far away they live, and these ZipCars allow them to have the freedom to go wherever they please without asking for a favor from a friend.
ReplyDeleteThese ZipCars are currently available on Penn State Mont Alto’s campus, but not at University Park or any other branch campuses. Why? Our best guess is that the concept is just starting to gain popularity and it would take a decent amount of time for the concept to gain approval for implementation at such a large university. Currently, ZipCar has only spread to colleges and universities that are rather small (around or less than 20,000 students). With Penn State University Park’s campus servicing over 40,000 students, that is a slightly larger undertaking. If you would like to find out more or receive a more definitive answer, we would encourage you to contact Penn State’s Center for Sustainability at 310 Sackett Building on campus or by phone at (814)865-3369. You can also reach them through their website, http://www.cfs.psu.edu. Hope this helps!