Letter to the Editor 2-25

To the Editor,

Mike Good’s Feb. 21 piece, “Pitt a slacker student in ‘green-ology’”… To the Editor,

Mike Good’s Feb. 21 piece, “Pitt a slacker student in ‘green-ology’” points out that Pitt is underperforming in sustainability efforts. Despite leading the Big East on the basketball court, our B minus on the Green Report Card puts us in last place in sustainability. While Good proposes that the Pitt community needs a ground-up effort to boost our environmental credentials, I believe that Pitt’s administration should take the lead in progressing towards a more sustainable future for our University.

Chancellor Nordenberg himself could spearhead this initiative by signing the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, ranking Pitt among the community of 677 universities that are dedicated to blazing the trail to carbon neutrality. Pitt has a history of driving innovation in the face of societal need, and the signing the ACUPCC would fit in to our mission to “contribute to social, intellectual and economic development in the Commonwealth, the nation and the world.”

Beyond vastly reducing Pitt’s environmental footprint, signing the ACUPCC would give the Pitt community even more to be proud of. By demonstrating a publicly accountable dedication to sustainability, Pitt will be able to attract environmentally conscious students, research funding and national recognition, not to mention annual energy-cost savings in the millions. Furthermore, the sustainability infrastructure that Good advocates could be more readily established. With an eye to the future, this is a commitment that Pitt can’t afford not to make.

John McElhattan

School of Arts & Sciences