The above statements are all things you can probably figure out without the help of some kid who has taken it upon herself to write a Viewpoint in the Daily. Nonetheless, these are things I have been thinking about lately, and I will now subject you to my mind's idle wanderings, should you choose to continue reading.
The most inflammatory statement from my headline is that it is hot inside. I don't know if you have noticed, but as you walk around campus it seems that all the windows are open and yet, it is February. Inside people are wearing short sleeves, even shorts. As a bead of perspiration runs down the side of my face I cannot help but think - what an immense waste of energy and money! No wonder Tufts tuition, like oil prices, is high and rising. We at Tufts University are living in an inferno.
The hypocrisy of all this is what really bothers me. Tufts has an Institute for the Environment (TIE), which has pledged to meet the stipulations of the Kyoto Protocol, regardless of whether or not America ever dares to sign the treaty (which I dare say, will not be any time soon). Since pledging to meet the Kyoto Protocol, TIE has worked to reduce energy use across campus through everything from the director's use of a hybrid car to a halogen light-bulb exchange program. I commend the institute's efforts, but I have a question - Why is the heat kept so high in the dorms? This is a waste of energy that is needless, but, sadly, representative of broader attitudes toward energy consumption on this Campus, in the city, New England, and the nation. It takes significant effort to change these attitudes and habitually energy-inefficient practices, such as turning off your computer when you are not at home or asleep. But, is it really so hard to turn down the heat?
Out on the street it is nothing but C-O-L-D (except for the rare warm days, like Tuesday). That said, I cannot help but be relieved that this year has had some semblance of a "normal" Bostonian winter. Why, you ask, do I like the low temperatures, the snow, and the freezing wind-chill? I like it because it enables me to avoid thinking about one of the scariest facts confronting my future, our future. No, it is not what I am going to do when I graduate in May. I am thinking about global warming and climate change.
Yes, you've heard it all before, but do you really comprehend what it entails? It entails uncertainty, as the future always does, but on a more precarious scale. Humans are incredible. We can adapt to changing circumstances in the blink of an eye, but most plants, animals, and glaciers cannot. Because of this, extinction rates have reached an all-time high and glaciers that were solid structures 20 years ago are disappearing. But what does this mean for everyday life?
Yesterday, the Boston Globe reported on a study indicating that "by the end of this century, global warming threatens to raise the sea level enough that a heavy storm would send flood waters into Boston's downtown waterfront, the Financial District, and much of the Back Bay." If it entails flooding in one of America's most prosperous, modern cities, imagine what it means for people across the world, animals in the rainforest, and plants on the arctic tundra. Even the coldest New England day is not enough to keep these thoughts from my head.
And there is still a war in Iraq. Some may argue that the war was over long ago, some would prefer I call it an occupation. Regardless of the terms used, the conflict in the region has not abated. If I were writing this for a class, I would now link the oil in our radiators and the changing global temperatures to the war in Iraq by talking about oil, motives for war, and international politics. But, you can make these connections yourself. Instead, I have two comments to make on the subject.
First, I encourage Tufts students who are talking about Iraq, about the Bush administration, and about America to take note- you attend a liberal university in New England. You and your friends may perceive America to be out in left field and enjoy bashing the right-wing response. But, I challenge you to broaden your viewpoint. Talk with someone who disagrees with you and talk about politics. Or at least play devil's advocate during a conversation. This does not necessarily mean that you should change your stance and it does not mean that you should persuade the token-conservative on this campus that they are dead wrong. All it means is that even in New England we have to remember that not everyone is a die-hard liberal. Engaging in conversation with "the opposition" may be a risky thing to do, but it is more productive than patting yourself on the back for being a good liberal.
Second, educate yourself. This may be what you are here to do at college, maybe not. Regardless, read the paper, surf the web, turn off the TV. To have an opinion is one thing, to have an informed opinion is quite another. That said, the annual EPIIC symposium is coming up February 24th-27th and this year's topic is "Oil and Water." You can probably think of more fun ways to spend your weekend - but try to think of something more educational and relevant to your everyday life. From your current life in an inferno, to your future career as ruler of the universe (or broke, perpetual student), oil and water run the world. So, you might as well know something about it.
