Nothing says, "I'm saving the world!" like printing off your work on a new, state of the art, multi-use copier/printer. Arizona State University knows this, and if you've printed, copied, faxed, or scanned anything on campus this year, you do too.
Sustainability efforts, which increased dramatically at ASU under the direction of Dr. Michael "Greenthumb" Crow, resulted in the University replacing printers and copiers on all four campuses with more energy-efficient models by Canon. Sure the printers, like your tuition, cost a bundle, but I, for one, sleep a lot better knowing I'm preserving world resources starts when I click "print".
Additionally, this move has improved security around campus by providing an outdated energy hog of a copy machine to any frustrated member of the ASU community to go ape-shit on, a la Office Space. Breaking an old copy machine provides the stress relief students need.
The sultans of sustainability at the New American U have also recently introduced the Flexcar program, which seems to be carpooling's expensive, deformed child. Students who don't drive to campus can rent a car in designated areas when they arrive, putter around in their choice of ASU's fleet of ten brand new vehicles (two of which are even hybrid!), and than return the car to campus. Think about it. You could drive from class to class. Awesome.
What would the sustainability program be if it didn't provide students who use alternate methods of transportation to get to campus the chance to drive a car when they arrive?
Clearly, resource-consuming technology is the way to go when it comes to ensuring the survival of the planet. Once again ASU and Dr. Crow know this. Old, cheap, unimpressive forms of sustainability, such as recycle bins, have become extremely scarce on campus. Landfill-bound trashcans are still abundant, but I would bet that State Press newspaper stands alone outnumber accessible recycle bins on campus. And we all know you're throwing this issue away somewhere.
The research and implementation of sustainability programs at Arizona State can give one insight into the future of the university, as well as the planet. With problems like climate change and resource conservation becoming more urgent, it is no wonder our solutions to these problems have become more complicated, and inherently expensive. However, to pour financial and personal resources into programs that "create sustainable solutions" by lowering the energy consumption of copy machines is just plain misguided.
While sustainability programs have the ability to make an impact on our shared future, it is a shame that — at least at this university — expensive solutions that address specific problems enjoy more support and visibility than programs like recycling, which can be participated in by everyone on campus with very little cost and extraordinary benefits to all.
Joseph is a man of wealth and taste. Respectfully reply in a timely fashion to: joseph.dougherty@asu.edu.
