2015 Expressions on a Sustainable UMD: The Power to Change May 2015 | Page 7

Why Carbon Neutral Power 2025?
The University of Maryland should pursue carbon neutral power for three reasons:

1) Integrity: Holding ourselves accountable to our goals
As a leading University in the nation, UMD should hold itself to the highest standard of integrity,
follow through on its commitments, and live up to the statements that it has made in its governing
documents, such as the 2008 University Strategic Plan. Quotes from the University Strategic Plan
include:
“Take responsibility for the future, with dedication to enhancing the quality of life of all people,
sustaining the natural environment, and reinforcing the capacity of Maryland’s citizens to thrive
and prosper in a diverse, ever-changing, globally competitive environment.”
“World-class universities anticipate emerging concerns and opportunities and marshal all their
intellectual resources to address big issues.”
“We will be a campus that is a model for the sustainability of its environment, and we will be a
university that seeks solutions to the world’s most challenging and vexing problems.”

2) Leadership: Remaining a national model for a green
university
Among our stated goals is to become a national model for a green university, and over the past
six years since the establishment of the climate action plan, we have successfully achieved that
goal. However, rather than relaxing our efforts, now is the time where we must push towards
sustainability more so than ever before. In these first six years, we have picked the low hanging
fruit, and now we must make difficult, but incredibly important, decisions to continue leading the
way for other universities throughout the nation. Pushing for carbon neutral power by the year
2025 is a goal that is among the most progressive in the nation, and would be the sign of a true
leader in the movement for action on climate change. Furthermore, other universities across the
country, such as the entire University System of California, Duke University, American University
and Arizona State University have already shown that goals like this are possible by committing to
carbon neutral power, or full carbon neutrality by the year 2025 or earlier.

3) Responsibility: Addressing the tremendous concern,
fear and sadness that the students of this University
display in the following poems, essays, and works of art
These students are the ones that will live with the impacts of climate change. We must do
everything we can to reduce those impacts.

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