The new few screens will show you how you can change the world.
The Challenge
The way we operate as a global society has a direct impact on our environment. The creation of energy, development of land, production of goods, transportation, disposal of waste, and much more have a natural cost. These polluting processes threaten the health of our air, water, & land. Too often political and corporate interests focus on short-sighted profit over global health, stifling clean energy development and policy.
Our planet is facing an environmental crisis unlike the world has ever seen. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a United Nations coalition of climate scientists from around the world, recently stated that we have as little as 12 years to act before we face irreversible global change. On our current trajectory, global temperature will rise 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) displacing millions and threatening our very existence. Simply put we must get much better at removing carbon from the atmosphere.
Universities are a tremendous place to enact change. They have all the features of a city (housing, commerce, restaurants, transportation, infrastructure, waste, etc.) but can be more nimble and wield some tremendous political power. Loyola Marymount University is a top-ranked world-leading sustainable institution. As such LMU has an incredible opportunity to become climate positive through innovation and lead the way for global change. This can only be accomplished through community activation around the issue.
Prioritize. Solve. Activate.
It's time. The world needs you. Your ideas, your courage and your action. Change can begin with YOU.
Loyola Marymount University
Let's go!Leading Global Environmental Conservation
Leading Global Environmental Conservation via Loyola Marymount University
How would a rise in global temperatures change the world?
The earth maintains a natural and delicate thermal balance via the greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is emitted by natural processes on earth such as human respiration. CO2 in the atmosphere acts as an invisible barrier to filter and trap the right amount of heat coming to earth from the sun. This natural thermal envelope is what regulates earth's temperature and provides the magic of life. As man has rapidly introduced industrialization to the world energy, transit, commerce, and other sectors now produce massive amounts of carbon dioxide in their processes. This has rapidly increased atmospheric CO2 and the heat-trapping capacity of the planet. As we continue to pump CO2 into the air we increase the atmosphere’s heat-trapping capabilities and warm our planet.
Even a rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, which is projected based on doing business as usual, will alter the world in some catastrophic ways. We are already seeing these changes in ocean acidification, record-breaking heat waves, increasing global average temperatures, melting glaciers, sea level rise, ocean die-offs, drought, famine, massive heat fueled storms and pollution. If we maintain our course these will increase and at some point be irreversible. At a local level, one can see the impact we are having on our planet right now. Just take a walk along your local body of water and you will see overwhelming plastic pollution. Los Angeles has over 1300 avoidable air quality deaths a year from pollution. This is a fundamental human health threat.
We can fix this threat!
To stop climate change governments are creating legislation. Businesses are making commitments and developing innovative solutions. Individuals are taking action to engage and change habits. Communities and nonprofits are working on research and solutions. This is a scattered process.
LMU can set an example and prove that innovative green solutions create jobs, save money, improve quality of life, and protect our health. LMU can leverage business success to influence the political arena and popular culture movements. In particular, we can focus our solutions on energy, water, transportation, waste, purchasing, buildings, and outreach. We can advocate policy and prove the value of groundbreaking technologies.
What can be done to save our planet via LMU?
LMU can lead the way on campus to solve the world's greatest threats. The areas we are best positioned to influence are: policy advocacy, plastic pollution reduction, energy, transit, and public understanding/outreach.
Ready to get started?
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