As concerns for the environment rise the Florida A&M University Sustainability institute is actively working to make the campus more environmentally friendly.
The goal of the Sustainability Institute is to create a more sustainable environment at Florida A&M University and the surrounding communities. Their vision is for FAMU to be a resilient seedbed of innovations and learning experiences that model social and environmental responsibility and also create solutions for a healthy and livable world.
The institute has been focused on renewable energy and how it can positively affect the campus for years to come.
Many students don’t know what renewable energy is and how it can improve the planet.
Kathryn Ziewitz, executive director of the Sustainability Institute, is quite passionate about the environment and renewable energy and shared her thoughts on the matter.
“The effects of climate change are boundless. Climate issues affect food security, human health and wellness, social, national and international security, and so on. As future leaders and professionals, students are stakeholders in the success of adapting and mitigating climate change,” Ziewitz said.
Third-year construction engineering major Rameau Morency says he is not too educated on how renewable energy can improve the school’s sustainability, but he said he would love to learn more.
“I don’t know much about renewable energy but I know it could definitely be a good thing for this school. I think more students should be more aware of our environment and how we can improve it,” Morency said.
FAMU has made strides to be more environmentally friendly . In 2014 FAMU agreed to sign the American Colleges and University Presidents’ climate commitment and last summer the university signed with FSU and TCC on a sustainability compact.
“The challenging part is getting where we want to be. A lot of organizations are committed to seeing a carbon emissions free future,” Ziewitz said.
While work is being done on FAMU’s campus, Florida-based companies are also making efforts to get colleges and universities involved in these types of environmental campaigns.
Ryann Lynn, a climate and clean energy advocate at Environment Florida, is eager to get schools on board with being more environmentally friendly and has even hired interns for Environment Florida.
“I am passionate about climate and nature in general. I started working with environmental groups and I think we are obviously facing a big problem with global warming and that is causing climate change and we are losing a lot of those valuable species and landscapes, so working to protect those is a priority,” Lynn said.