Sustainability legislation critical for U.S.

"Going green" is the new black. Appearing to care about the environment has become a trendy justification for doing things that benefit the environment in a small way (recycling) and things that actually cause more damage (buying more stuff, no matter how "green" it may be).

"Going green" is the new black. Appearing to care about the environment has become a trendy justification for doing things that benefit the environment in a small way (recycling) and things that actually cause more damage (buying more stuff, no matter how "green" it may be).But the recent burst of enthusiasm around sustainability has generated little action, locally or nationally. Plans for a wind turbine that would have been funded in part by student fees was scrapped by the University last year after administrative delays made it too costly.

The US has yet to pass comprehensive legislation to cap greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists predictions of the consequences of our centuries-old carbon habit grow increasingly dire, with a permanent drought likely to emerge in the American Southwest within the next fifty years. For the planet's sake, where is all this enthusiasm going when there is so much meaningful work to be done?

It's easy to be misled by the seemingly indomitable force of Mother Nature. Severe fluctuations in climate occurred on earth for several billion years before the advent of humans, so it can seem impossible that such a short span of time during which humans have been burning fossil fuels could change the future of the planet so drastically. I wish this were true.

But incontrovertible evidence points to the contrary. The US Climate Research Program predicts that if climate change continues unabated, average temperatures will rise 7-11.5 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the century. Ice coverage on Lake Michigan has declined thirty percent since 1973. The dangers are real and we must address them.

It's not just apathy that's stopping us. Fighting climate change requires a dramatic shift in our approach to production and prosperity. Continual development and expansion can no longer be our goal when it comes to cities and factories. The economic downturn presents a convenient starting point for addressing our fossil fuel addiction.

Mayor Dave Bing of Detroit recently said, in reference to his city, "We've got to focus on being the best 900,000 populated city that we can be and stop thinking about 'We can turn the clock back to the 1950s and '60s.'" America has to focus on being the best country it can be at 350 parts per million of C02 in the atmosphere, instead of turning back the clock to the days when we could naively burn fossil fuels without restraint. Continuing to do so will put us at great peril in the long run.

We have met the enemy, and he is us. The recent climate change documentary "The Age of Stupid" ponders from a future perspective whether humans were simply unaware of the coming destruction of their planet or knew about it and chose not to stop it "because they didn't think they were worth saving." But I can say with assurance that no one on either side of the debate thinks humanity is not worth saving. Everyone wants a secure future for new generations.

It's time we wake up and do what it takes to get there. That means passing meaningful legislation to cap greenhouse gas emissions. The Waxman-Markey bill passed by the House over the summer goes a long way in this direction, setting up a cap and trade system that would cut emissions 80% by 2050, the minimum scientists recommend to halt the pace of climate change. But with the dedicated opposition of the oil and coal industries, the bill faces an uphill battle in the Senate. The White House has said that climate change legislation would be a priority, but over the last several months the issue has languished on the back burner.

So speak up to your representatives in Congress and the President and demand climate change legislation that the US can be proud of at the UN Conference in Copenhagen this December. Turning off light switches is important, but that won't do it all.

Amy is a sophomore in engineering.