Ah, a large college campus in early March. Beer cans litter the dead brown grass. Huge buses, crappy cars, and suicidally reckless bicyclists compete for road space. Students print off reams of reading assignments, sip delicious coffee beverages, and plug in laptops. All of us making our lives, using up resources and leaving behind pollution as we do.
I’m a college student. I’m worried about the planet. It’s already very damaged, I don’t want to make it worse. But I don’t have the resources to buy an electric car or solar panel my cheapo apartment. I’m going to have to start smaller. My mission is to create a guide, or maybe just a large list of ideas, for how to live sustainably* in a way that is realistic and not misery-inducing.
So, what space does environmentalism have on a college campus? It may seem unrealistic at first blush to make college kids act environmentally consciously. College students are notoriously busy and self-involved, riiiight? I know our generation is known for our Narcissism and Self-Involvement and Hedonistic Internet Usage. The truth is, though, we are going to be feeling the consequences of the exorbitant environmental damage done by previous generation. I, for one, am up for making changes. I bet many of my peers are as well.
I’m not quite sure what I want this blog to do yet, but I know that I want to write about the ways I try to live a low-impact lifestyle on this planet. I’m going to write about environmentalists who inspire me, and about exciting new developments in technology. I’d also like write accessible, quick summaries of some of the major environmental problems we are facing. Hopefully, I can suggest some ways for individuals to reduce their contribution to these disasters. I’m writing for an audience of people like me: college age, with limited money, and with a desire to live both sustainably and enjoyably.
I’m excited to see where this takes me. I’ll see you soon.
*And just because Sustainability is repeated so often that it’s basically just a buzzword noise, I’d like to define it: sustainable living means a way of living and consuming resources that is balanced with the planet’s ability to provide resources. Obviously, living on the planet is very complex and I can’t really stop using electricity while living in a college town. However, I’d like to point out that while it’s hard to live in America without harming the earth, there are many many ways to both reduce one’s impact and to compensate for what you do use.
Humane Sustain 
An ambitious launch! I can’t wait to see where you take your ideas.
Mom shared your blog address. Though not your target audience, I love that you are writing about Sustainability. College kids can’t stop using electricity, as you point out, but they can sure as heck turn out lights and shut off gadgets when not in use. Every little bit helps. I think it was CSU that did a study of campus garbage that started out with a very dismal percentage of waste that could’ve been recycled, and bumped up to a respectable amount once students became aware of the problem.
Thank you for starting this project…I hope you get a gazillion hits on your blog.