Recent reports show that millennials are the most civically engaged generation in comparison to its predecessors, Generation X — just not when it comes to environmentalism.
A Pew Research Center study released in March 2014 revealed that some millennials have detached from the eco-friendly label: only 32 percent of people born between 1981 and 2000 branded themselves “environmentalists,” showing a 10-percent drop, in comparison to Gen-Xers (born between 1965 and 1980).
Although millennials are less likely than older adults to label themselves as environmentalists, it doesn’t mean our generation isn’t making strides at creating a more sustainable environment, especially at UF.
At UF, Student Government and the Office of Sustainability have teamed up to create a more environmentally friendly campus and get students more involved in green initiatives.
Dakota Wöll, executive director of Student Government’s Gators Going Green, said the organization is focusing on partnering with other groups to make existing activities greener as well as rolling out new initiatives to help students get more involved.
“This year we’re really revamping up Gators Going Green. We want to try to really expand in a lot directions,” Wöll said.
The Green Gator Challenge, which is designed to encourage undergraduate students to become more involved in the sustainability movement during their time at UF, is going to see many changes, Wöll said. The challenge will now have a restructured point system so that it is more achievable for students, while also making sure the outreach aspect remains. Seniors should be on the lookout for more announcements about the challenge so they can jazz up their look with a green cord at graduation.
Students will also have the opportunity to hear more about sustainability by attending a week-long recycling awareness event, co-hosted by the Office of Sustainability and SG. The event will be happening later in the fall semester.
“We’ll have more practical, hands-on events as well as more educational type things,” Wöll said.
Thinking about joining Gators Going Green? If you want to be part of a fulfilling college experience that will allow you to proactively make a difference, Wöll said this might be the place for you.
“I think it’s incredibly rewarding because you see tangible differences being made,” Wöll said. “In society today, sustainability is becoming increasingly important. The need for it is there more than ever, and I think Student Government has allowed students to get more involved in that aspect and make a difference on campus in a way that other campuses haven’t.”
In regards to Gators Going Green’s impact, Liz Storn, program coordinator for the Office of Sustainability, said, “We can’t do everything, so for students to be taking ownership of different projects and making a difference is instrumental for change to happen on campus.”
Some students wish they could be more eco-friendly but don’t know enough about the school’s measures, or if they would actually be making a difference. Others believe that advertising the progress being made by the school’s sustainable programs and its goals would motivate students to be more involved.
“There’s always some symbiotic relationship, so if [students] are going to do something, they want to benefit from it. [Whether] it’s making them feel good, or a tangible prize,” said Christine Tamariz, a sophomore telecommunications major.
Although there seems to be a lack of clarity on sustainable outreach at UF, what is clear is that millennials do care about sustainability and are making greener strides towards an eco-friendly environment — even if we’ve ditched the “environmentalist” label.
Photo credit: admin.ufl.edu