With an 83-mile expanse of shoreline, an abundance of forestry and the largest body of freshwater in the world just minutes away, it’s no surprise that sustainability has become a core principle in Marquette living.

Bikers can be seen on every street corner every day of the year, and the town recently proved its passion for recycling. NMU alone has greatly increased its sustainability efforts in the last few years by adding recycling receptacles, water bottle refill stations, creating energy saving initiatives, on campus buildings receiving LEED ratings and more.

Eco consciousness is a large part of the NMU identity, and we should be proud of the sustainable aspects that have been implemented on our campus and in the greater community, especially with the limited resources and budgets available to us. These changes in our campus and community have come from the momentum created by the voice and support of the student body. To further sustainability initiatives on campus, consider opening ASNMU’s election ballot which will be sent out on April 2.

The ballot will include a survey which will ask students if they would be willing to increase the Student Activity Fee by $5 for a “green fund,” which would fund
sustainability efforts.

When elections and surveys such as these are made available to students it’s imperative we take part in them. The student voice has proved it can move mountains, why stop with a hill? Without the current funding available, our campus would not be as green as it already is.

In the current political climate it’s often easy to feel insignificant and incapable of creating change. But within our university one student voice can change the outcome of all. The ASNMU survey provides students with the opportunity to make their voice heard and see their thoughts and ideas implemented in their everyday lives. Current and future students take great pride in the eco consciousness and concern for conservation that NMU is so grounded in.

Take this opportunity to create change at our university even if you’re having a hard time implementing it in your own life. Making your voice heard and the campus greener can be simple with the ASNMU survey and so can making your life greener with a few small changes.

Consider taking shorter, cooler showers, washing your clothes on the cold setting, unplugging your devices, get a reusable water bottle and start buying more products in bulk.