Comments on: The Lehigh Initiative… Or Lack Thereof http://www.lehighpatriot.com/snarins/the-lehigh-initiative-or-lack-thereof/ Lehigh News and Commentary Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:54:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Jessica http://www.lehighpatriot.com/snarins/the-lehigh-initiative-or-lack-thereof/comment-page-1/#comment-3248 Jessica Fri, 30 Apr 2010 12:15:30 +0000 http://www.lehighpatriot.com/?p=1133#comment-3248 I appreciate the point that the author makes about the hypocrisy of some of the "green" students on campus. I, too, get angry when I see environmental activists sip from their plastic water bottles and paper cups along with a whole slew of other hypocritical behaviors, especially when these behaviors are so easily avoidable (see below for my biggest pet peeve). I have difficulty fully respecting Green Action given this hypocrisy I see among members. Aside from this, I think Green Action (and Paul) has done a great job getting administrators to adopt a more eco-friendly perspective so please do not perceive this post as bashing your organization. Paul, I would appreciate a response to this concern. If not on the Patriot's site than email. However, I do not appreciate how this author holds herself on a pedestal as though she is the only one who walks around campus, drinks from a reusable bottle and hikes in her free time. You're not. Returning to the individual choices that so-called environmentalists make, I am most irritated by meat consumption. I think these two quotes summarize my perspective on cutting meat out of one's diet for environmental reasons. “I say that the single most effective action that a person can take to curb global warming is support a moratorium, and eventual phase-out, of coal-fired power plants. However, in our personal life styles, the most effective action is to begin to alter our diet more toward vegetarian. I do not believe it is realistic to exhort everybody to become vegetarian, but we can greatly reduce the stress on the planet, including global warming, with realistic changes by a large number of people.” James Hansen NASA scientist “In terms of immediacy of action and the feasibility of bringing about reductions in a short period of time, it [reducing meat consumption] clearly is the most attractive opportunity. Give up meat for one day [a week] initially, and decrease it from there.” Rajendra Pachauri Chair, UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change I appreciate the point that the author makes about the hypocrisy of some of the “green” students on campus. I, too, get angry when I see environmental activists sip from their plastic water bottles and paper cups along with a whole slew of other hypocritical behaviors, especially when these behaviors are so easily avoidable (see below for my biggest pet peeve). I have difficulty fully respecting Green Action given this hypocrisy I see among members. Aside from this, I think Green Action (and Paul) has done a great job getting administrators to adopt a more eco-friendly perspective so please do not perceive this post as bashing your organization. Paul, I would appreciate a response to this concern. If not on the Patriot’s site than email.

However, I do not appreciate how this author holds herself on a pedestal as though she is the only one who walks around campus, drinks from a reusable bottle and hikes in her free time. You’re not.

Returning to the individual choices that so-called environmentalists make, I am most irritated by meat consumption. I think these two quotes summarize my perspective on cutting meat out of one’s diet for environmental reasons.

“I say that the single most effective action that a person can take to curb global warming is support a moratorium, and eventual phase-out, of coal-fired power plants. However, in our personal life styles, the most effective action is to begin to alter our diet more toward vegetarian. I do not believe it is realistic to exhort everybody to become vegetarian, but we can greatly reduce the stress on the planet, including global warming, with realistic changes by a large number of people.”

James Hansen
NASA scientist

“In terms of immediacy of action and the feasibility of bringing about reductions in a short period of time, it [reducing meat consumption] clearly is the most attractive opportunity. Give up meat for one day [a week] initially, and decrease it from there.”

Rajendra Pachauri
Chair, UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

]]> By: Paul http://www.lehighpatriot.com/snarins/the-lehigh-initiative-or-lack-thereof/comment-page-1/#comment-3245 Paul Fri, 30 Apr 2010 06:49:23 +0000 http://www.lehighpatriot.com/?p=1133#comment-3245 The rate of species extinction that Carlin describes is real, and it's faster than any measureable extinction rate on rate. With quantifiable certainty is has been determined that this rate of species extinction is faster than even that of the infamous dinosaur extinction of the Cretatious-Tertiary Era. So what do I have to say to that? IGNORANCE The rate of species extinction that Carlin describes is real, and it’s faster than any measureable extinction rate on rate. With quantifiable certainty is has been determined that this rate of species extinction is faster than even that of the infamous dinosaur extinction of the Cretatious-Tertiary Era. So what do I have to say to that?

IGNORANCE

]]> By: George Carlin http://www.lehighpatriot.com/snarins/the-lehigh-initiative-or-lack-thereof/comment-page-1/#comment-3244 George Carlin Fri, 30 Apr 2010 01:55:44 +0000 http://www.lehighpatriot.com/?p=1133#comment-3244 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eScDfYzMEEw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eScDfYzMEEw

]]> By: Paul http://www.lehighpatriot.com/snarins/the-lehigh-initiative-or-lack-thereof/comment-page-1/#comment-3243 Paul Fri, 30 Apr 2010 01:06:03 +0000 http://www.lehighpatriot.com/?p=1133#comment-3243 I agree that the Lehigh student body lags behind other schools in terms of environmental awareness. However, with the establishment of LEAG, we now have an administrative body dedicated to improving not only Lehigh's physical performance, but the general attitude of the student body. I agree with you wholeheartedly regarding water bottles, attitudes, and apathy, etc. But there are several points in this article that I must dispute. As the current Green Action President, I feel the need to speak up: 1) Your description of Green Action is quite outdated, which is readily evident by the fact that we haven't had a female president in 3 semesters. 2) Neither LEAG nor Green Action had anything to do with the Segways, and I've never heard from anyone that Lehigh got them to "Go Green". I think they are stupid. 3) People who aren't motivated by our dedication to the environmental cause tend not to stay members for long. Everyone who actually gets involved has their heart it in. 4) Both Rathbone and UC compost their food waste. It is brought up to the Brickman compost pile on Goodman where it is recycled into mulch. This has been going on for a year now. 5) It's obvious you haven't been to a Green Action meeting at all this year. Green Action's membership base and influence has increased substantially. There aren't many clubs at Lehigh that deliver such inner-campus change as Green Action. Green Action depends on the interests and support of all its members. I am sorry if your ideas were shot down in past years, but that's not how Green Action functions anymore. Keep in mind that it's not too late to get involved, and we would be happy to have you! I agree that the Lehigh student body lags behind other schools in terms of environmental awareness. However, with the establishment of LEAG, we now have an administrative body dedicated to improving not only Lehigh’s physical performance, but the general attitude of the student body.

I agree with you wholeheartedly regarding water bottles, attitudes, and apathy, etc. But there are several points in this article that I must dispute. As the current Green Action President, I feel the need to speak up:

1) Your description of Green Action is quite outdated, which is readily evident by the fact that we haven’t had a female president in 3 semesters.

2) Neither LEAG nor Green Action had anything to do with the Segways, and I’ve never heard from anyone that Lehigh got them to “Go Green”. I think they are stupid.

3) People who aren’t motivated by our dedication to the environmental cause tend not to stay members for long. Everyone who actually gets involved has their heart it in.

4) Both Rathbone and UC compost their food waste. It is brought up to the Brickman compost pile on Goodman where it is recycled into mulch. This has been going on for a year now.

5) It’s obvious you haven’t been to a Green Action meeting at all this year. Green Action’s membership base and influence has increased substantially. There aren’t many clubs at Lehigh that deliver such inner-campus change as Green Action.

Green Action depends on the interests and support of all its members. I am sorry if your ideas were shot down in past years, but that’s not how Green Action functions anymore. Keep in mind that it’s not too late to get involved, and we would be happy to have you!

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