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Environmental Sustainability to Combat Climate Change

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Environmental Sustainability to Combat Climate Change

 Context and Need for Change

            Climatic Change is an issue that emanates from lack of environmental sustainability. Institutions of higher Learning such as the Florida State University have the potential of shaping the future generations through paving way for sustainable development (Roos et al, 2020).   The institution as a whole can enact changes that will foster environmental sustainable efforts. The continual efforts shall inculcate a culture of environmental sustainability among the students and the college community.  If the students adapt the environmental sustainability efforts, a whole generation can change the impact of climate change that arises from poor environmental practices.

             Environmental damage has continued to be an issue in the society as it affects the future prosperity of generations (Ningrum, & Herdiansyah, 2018).  Sustainability efforts help to counter the environmental issues in the wake of global change. Ningrum, & Herdiansyah, (2018) states that the environmental damage is caused by human behavior. Therefore, the adoption of positive behavior regarding the environment will foster the mitigation of the climate change impacts in various parts of the state as per the student’s location.

            The Florida State University can create programs that will create awareness among the students on the impact of specific behavior on the environmental sustainability efforts. Ningrum, & Herdiansyah (2018) describes the environmental behavior as comprising of the six aspects; energy savings, transport and mobility, waste management, recycling, consumption and behavior that aims to conserve nature.  The various indicators can be used in context of the issue in gauging the positive and negative attitudes in the environmental sustainability efforts.

             Higher education helps in direction of the social awareness in college students that may create social change. As such, the environmental sustainability efforts help in dictating the nature of the environmental behavior that the students shall undertake, currently and in the future. There is much potential in changing the climate change impacts through transformation of the community through the students. The immediate environment, Florida State University, can be the first beneficiary of the changed environmental sustainability efforts amongst the students.

Plan of Action

             The plan for action is through petitioning the university for the creation of sustainable efforts through the University council. The main plan of action is the creation of the self- social responsibility through the creation of positive environmental actions. For instance, energy saving is a critical component of climate change. It does help in reduction of the  demand for energy which keeps on surging due to an increase in the population  in the world. Simple action points such as switching off the lights after leaving a room will help in environmental sustainability. Additionally, components such as using of natural lighting when possible will help in minimization of energy consumption in a room.

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             The creation of a policy that shall govern the environmental sustainability efforts shall help in governing the behavior of the students in effecting the desired environmental change. Ningrum, & Herdiansyah (2018) outlines six aspects of behaviors that can boost the formulation of environmental sustainability efforts. To begin with resources conservation is a key component in the positive behavioral sustainability efforts. The students should be taught basics on resources conservation. For instance, ensuring that all taps are turned off and there are no leaking water pipes will help in minimization of the water wastage thus conserving water as a natural resources. The choice of mobility can help in reduction of the Green Gas Emissions in the environment. The choice to cycle for short distances instead of boarding a vehicle will prove helpful in the long term basis.  Cycling is an environmental friendly mobility form as there is no emission of the toxic gases and there is minimal demand for fuel.

             Management of Waste is an additional component that should be included in the environmental management program. As such, the students should be taught on efficient means of disposal of waste. Also, the policy should entail a means of recycling some items such as plastic bottles to minimize on the amount of waste created in the environment. Purchase of items according to consumption levels shall help in minimization of the waste emanating from the food related products. Students shall be advised to gauge their consumption levels to avoid over purchases that shall be deemed as unwanted in the long term.

             Cultivation of behaviors that shall help in conserving nature is among the positive behavioral traits (Ningrum, & Herdiansyah, 2018). As such, the behavioral aspects such as tree planting, taking part in community cleaning exercises as well as volunteering in programs that aim at creating awareness of environmental conservation shall in meeting the long term objective of the environmental sustainability efforts and mitigating the impacts of climate change especially for the future  generations.

Implementation of the Change

             The success of the environmental sustainability efforts is based on the willingness of the various players in the college such as management and the students in cooperating in the change implementation efforts. The first aspect of the implementation of environmental sustainability efforts shall be through the creation of awareness on the prevalent climatic change impact on future generations (Engelman et al, 2018). I shall use my leadership prowess in ensuring that the university and the students’ council get to know of the impact of students’ behavior in environmental degradation. Communication to both the management shall be through official e-mails as I seek an opportunity for addressing the students and the lecturers in creation of the much needed awareness in the environmental sustainability efforts.

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            In environmental sustainability changes, I shall address through the official communication the impact of human behavior in either improving the future environmental aspects or worsening the already devastating climatic change component (Engelman et al 2018).  Some of the positive behavioral aspects that I shall advocate for include a change in overall behavior concerning the treatment of waste products. Recycling of some waste products such as plastics shall minimize the impact that the waste products shall have on the environment. Plastic bottles can be effectively recycled in the college.  Conservation of resources shall be addressed such as minimization of water wastage and use of natural lighting as often as possible to reduce  the demand of electricity especially in the urban spaces.

            The second situational environmental sustainability plan is through joining the college environmental club and help in sensitization of the Florida State University community on the need for environmental sustainability for posterity. The efforts shall be directed to the students. Whose behavior at large impacts the collective sustainability efforts in the university.  Self- responsibility shall be the key characteristic of creation of awareness as it helps in dictating the course of action that the whole group of individuals undertake in the community set up.

            Thirdly, the situation environment sustainability plan shall be through advocacy for creation of a team to oversee the implementation of the environmental sustainability plan in the college community. I should advocate for the inclusion of experts such that they can help in creation of an environmental sustainability plan that is sustainable in both the short and the long term basis.  The formulation of the policy shall have various representatives from the management board, student council and the students body so as to have varying perspectives on how effective the solutions are in sustainability efforts.

            The last part of the change effectual shall be the transition from the policy formulation to the actual implementation of the environmental sustainability efforts. The first component of the transition shall be embodied in the solicitation for funding from the university management. The sustainability efforts shall be cost –effective since much of the program covers a change of the behavior. The funding shall help in sourcing of environmental experts to help in starting the program and consistently monitoring and evaluating the program to ensure that it reaches its threshold in the community.  The transition on the students shall be through an online campaign on common social networks on the need of the environmental sustainability efforts. The students shall be informed on how the current environmental practices impact a whole generation and helps curb the impacts of climatic change on the environment. In conclusion, the transition shall be conducted in phases to ensure each team involved gets fully immersed in the change related to environmental sustainability.

References

Engelman,R., Tometich, P., Schreiber, D., Nascimento, L. F., Fracasso, E. M., & Figueiró, P. S. (2019).Environmental management in Brazilian higher education. International Journal of Management in Education, 13(1), 59-81.

Ningrum, Z. B., & Herdiansyah, H.(2018). Environmental awareness and behavior of college students in regards to the environment in urban area. In E3S Web of Conferences (Vol. 74, p. 10004). EDP Sciences

Roos, N., Heinicke, X., Guenther, E., & Guenther, T. W. (2020). The Role of Environmental Management Performance in Higher Education Institutions. Sustainability, 12(2), 655.

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