Student Essays, Opinions & Other Insights on a Sustainable UMD 2013-2014 Academic Year | Página 9

Jay Deep Rao
Major: Electrical Engineering
Class of 2017

My name is Jay Deep Rao, and I care about
sustainability! I am a freshman electrical
engineering major, from the great state of
Mississippi. Attending UMD and living in
Maryland is a big change from the Deep
South, and it’s definitely a huge improvement
as far as environmental advancements go.
Living sustainably is so important to me,
because I believe it’s up to our current
generation to save the environment, and
make the changes necessary to provide our
posterity with a world that is as safe and as
clean as we can feasibly make it. I think that a
lot of times, people write off sustainability as futile because they think that, “one person recycling doesn’t
make a difference.”
I signed up for the pledge because I wanted to take steps to lessen my impact on the environment. I was
already doing many of the things on the pledge, but I figured that I could always do more to be green. It made
me happy to know other people were being proactive and taking measures to help save the environment as
well. What people don’t realize is that actions speak louder than words. Yes, every UMD student putting their
waste in the proper bins will not solve all of our problems. However, it is a step in the right direction. When
people realize how easy it is to differentiate between recycle, compost, and landfill, they’ll see it’s not so hard
to be sustainable in other ways. Using OZZI Boxes, getting electronic tickets for sporting events, and printing
double-sided are simple ways we can achieve a greener campus.
I think that one thing UMD can do to be more sustainable is to get rid of all trays in the dining halls. I think
that the University can save a lot of water, time, and energy that would be used to clean the trays. The primary
reason people get trays is to hold both their drink and their plate. I think that a lack of trays would promote
students to bring their own water bottles, and maybe even limit their soft drink consumption. While some
would argue that it’s a hassle to make more than one trip to get food, I think the benefits of this change would
outweigh the cost. I would gladly make an extra trip to the salad bar if it meant saving the university money,
and promoting a more sustainable UMD.
Although I’m only a freshman at UMD, I encourage friends, classmates, and even strangers, to be as green as
they can be. As college students, we have a huge voice, and it’s up to us to inform others as much