Hofstra attempts to be eco-friendly. // Photo courtesy of Thomas Richter.
Colleges across the country are competing fiercely in the “Race to Zero,” a global campaign created by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which promotes the investment in zero carbon initiatives in higher education institutions.
As carbon dioxide emissions are a leading cause of global climate change, many schools, such as Stanford University, have made great strides in reducing their carbon footprints.
Christa Farmer, associate professor in the geology and sustainability department at Hofstra University, explained that schools like Stanford have transitioned to “net zero operations.”
They are generating plants that use a hot and cold water system to replace the old cogeneration plant: a system that combines heat (in the form of hot water or steam) and power to generate heat and electricity simultaneously, with a far more sustainable energy source. They have also transitioned in the past year to 100% renewable energy.
According to Farmer, “initiatives run by faculty and staff who are invested in trying to address the climate crisis” as well as “insistent student voices” play a huge role in advocating for sustainable changes. However, Hofstra has yet to follow Stanford’s lead in working toward a net zero campus.
“Decarbonization of operations here at Hofstra hasn’t happened yet,” Farmer said. “I think the major barrier is the upfront cost of those infrastructure investments. The externalities of atmospheric pollution make it such that making those major shifts doesn’t always seem cost-effective.”
However, Steven Okulewicz, a geology professor at Hofstra, believes that carbon zero may actually be a realistic goal for Hofstra. He said that “putting up solar cells and maybe tapping into some geothermal energy” are a few long-term solutions that would implement sustainability on Hofstra’s campus.
“Everybody should be doing more,” Okulewicz said.
A lack of funding may be preventing Hofstra’s campus from reducing or eliminating carbon emissions; some students say that funding should be reallocated and reaching net zero should be a top priority.
“I don’t think Hofstra has really been trying to become carbon neutral,” said Camryn Gallagher, a senior sustainability studies and geographic information systems double major. She found that the economics of reaching carbon neutrality is the main immobilizing factor preventing Hofstra from minimizing its carbon footprint.
Universities such as Stanford which have reached net zero have implemented carbon neutrality as an active part of their campus life, but according to Gallagher, “That’s just not something that Hofstra strives for, so they never end up making any real progress.”
Jason Valverde, a senior sustainability studies major, said he has a pessimistic view of sustainability on campus. He believes that the majority of the student population is mindful of the climate crisis, but he said, “There aren’t enough of us that have the drive to actually do something about it.”
As climatic temperatures continue to rise, Hofstra’s campus remains a contributor to global climate change, as it has not yet attained net zero carbon dioxide emissions.
“Hofstra is, at its heart, a community,” Valverde said. “I think all students should be driving toward helping their community achieve the best possible lifestyle and outcome.”