Student Essays, Opinions & Other Insights on a Sustainable UMD 2013-2014 Academic Year | Page 17

Robert Swam

Major: Environmental Science and Technology
Class of 2015

Sustainability is very important to me on many levels. Growing
up my family always took vacations to numerous national parks
to go and appreciate the beauty nature provides for us one
hundred percent free of charge. From an early age I knew what
the purpose of these parks were, to preserve a pristine natural
environment such that future generations can enjoy them as I
did. As I grew older and became more educated, I understood
the importance of not just preserving these small parts of the
planet, but preserving the planet as a whole because we are on
the fast track to ruining our own homes. As I’ve almost
completed my third year in the Environmental Science and
Technology program, my passion and understanding for
sustainability has never been stronger. I tailor my daily
activities to try to use maybe a gallon less water or maybe a
pound less of coal because making an impact on sustainability
always comes down to the people themselves and their actions.
I’m sure no one would argue and say that the biggest environmental issue facing us today isn’t climate
change. One way I would like to see the University of Maryland campus become more sustainable is to
incorporate more solar technology into buildings, parking lots, bus stations, and any other surface that faces
the sun. There are so many parking lots on this campus and no one likes walking to their cars in the rain. Why
not cover the lots with solar panels? It is an ambitious idea but has been implemented in other places across
the country. We owe it to our planet, and our commitment to being one of the top research institutions in the
world, to find ways to minimize our own effect on the planet and become a model for other universities
everywhere.

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