Sustainability: Enriching Students' Lives and Raising Awareness

As a student in Policy, Planning, and Development, one of the most exciting and interesting things I learned about in the past is sustainability. Nothing in particular, just any sustainable effort of any sorts, whether applied to real estate or not is exciting and interesting. Perhaps part of my interest in trying to help the world heal itself stems from the fact that I am a surfer, and I immerse myself in an ocean which seems to become more polluted every day, not to mention that my surf spots might disappear as the water level rises in the future.

It is no secret that Global Warming is already taking effect on the world. Rain patterns have shifted, unseasonably warm temperatures are occurring in certain states, and certain islands have already become submerged underwater. It is because of this that I believe the university, specifically the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences at the University of Southern California needs to do more to educate their students by offering a class which teaches about sustainable efforts and Global Warming. The class should not be mandatory for all students, but I believe the university should strongly urge students in the College to take the class. The class should have rotating professors to keep the course relevant and fresh, as well as provide different perspectives. For example, USC Policy, Planning and Development Professor and Los Angeles City Councilman Michael Woo, could explain the efforts of urbanization and sprawl and its’ effects on the environment as well as what can be done in the future to build more wisely. Another week could have geologists come in and explain how the Earth is changing. The opportunities for professors in all walks of life to come teach for a week are myriad.

As a supplement to the class, I believe students enrolled in the class should have a final project which is done as a class to incorporate more sustainable elements into our campus. Perhaps we can dedicate one vacant area on campus to grow corn for Ethanol production for alternative fuel. Although it has already been done before at USC, students enrolled in the class should also plant grass on top of each building (if possible) to add more green to our campus, although it may not be visible to people on the surface level.

The university itself should consider sustainable development when building new dorms, housing or research faculties. Should the university have to renovate outdated buildings, sustainable efforts must be on the agenda.

Though these are small steps, they are steps needed to be taken. Many small steps still can travel a great distance. The neighborhood in which USC resides does not have sustainable efforts put into place. Perhaps a raised awareness of sustainability will eventually spread throughout the community. This is why I urge the University of Southern California’s College of Letters, Arts, and Science dedicate a class to raising awareness to sustainability.