If the students lead, the leaders will follow

As the last votes are counted, a roar of celebration erupts from the Environmental Action and Resource Center (EARC) on the third floor of the University Union. The students at Chico State have just voted to lower the thermostat in all Associated Students (AS) buildings by 3 degrees to conserve energy. With over 85 percent of the vote, this advisory ballot measure was hardly a nail biter, but rather an example of strong student leadership addressing climate change.

The thermostat measure is one of many ways that students are tackling environmental issues at Chico State. This past weekend, seven students and I represented Cal Poly at the “This Way to Sustainability III” conference at Chico State. More than 1,000 other students, faculty and community members from the UC, CSU and California community college systems engaged in nearly 100 workshops, tours and keynotes on a wide variety of sustainability issues. In addition to educational events and activities all conference participants enjoyed local organic meals, music and entertainment each night. The conference concluded with a student convergence to network and discuss plans for statewide action initiatives.

Over the past few years the Wildcats have been recognized for their leadership in sustainability and recently were ranked eighth out of the 15 greenest universities in the country by Grist Online Magazine. Although there are things being done at Cal Poly and many other university campuses, such as using renewable energy, composting, recycling, post-consumer waste products and taking energy efficiency measures, the real difference lies in the pioneers of these green initiatives – the students.

The Chico State AS and the student body have been the real drivers for sustainability on campus. In May 1996, AS took the initiative to start campus-wide recycling and continue to do so today, employing more than 20 students. In addition, Chico’s AS owns the dining facilities and bookstore, allowing students to implement local organic foods and environmentally friendly fair-trade clothing. Most recently, AS created a large office space in their UU for the EARC which houses a green literature library, AS Sustainability, AS Recycling, the Green Campus Program, and the Recycling and Rubbish Exhibit.

Although Chico’s AS has always demonstrated leadership in sustainability, much of their recent success can be credited to a class called “Environmental Thought and Action.” This capstone course for environmental science majors teaches students about policy, lobbying and campaign management.

What makes this course so unique is that during each spring semester, students work to develop a sustainability advisory measure to put on the AS election ballot. Since the class was conceived six years ago, all six advisory measures have passed.

Because these measures are meant to “advise” rather than “bind” campus leaders to change policy, the annual ballot measure is received warmly among campus entities. This is not to say that these measures are purely for show; most measures have materialized into policy and real change on campus.

For example in 2004 the following advisory measure to reduce student vehicle emissions appeared on the ballot:

“Should the Associated Students encourage the University to sell general parking permits only to students living more than 1 mile from the center of campus with the exception of handicapped, disabled and pregnant students?”

More than 2,000 Wildcats voted, 70.38 percent in favor of approving the advisory measure. This sent a strong message to university leaders. According to student leaders, this policy is close to implementation. Some other recently implemented advisory ballot measures include a sustainability literacy graduation requirement, the creation of a full-time sustainability coordinator and an AS sustainability fund.

Today many student governments are viewed as institutions conducting “business as usual” while occasionally raising fees, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Chico’s democratic method for institutionalizing sustainability on campus is a strong indication of what’s possible when students get organized and use student government as a vehicle for change.

So if you want to see change on campus or are curious about a particular issue, contact your ASI representatives. They won’t bite; that’s what they are here for! Don’t forget, we pay almost $200 per quarter for ASI and UU fees, so it’s our duty as students to actively participate in our student government and know where our money is being spent. Now let’s get out there and be the change, Cal Poly!

Chad Worth is an industrial engineering senior, president of the Empower Poly Coalition and a Mustang Daily columnist. He encourages all students to find and contact their ASI representatives if they’d like to see change on campus at http://www.asi.calpoly.edu/bod_members/.