Column: Green future is bright

I t’s very easy to come off as a pessimist when talking about environmental issues. Ocean acidification, the extinction of thousands of species every year and environmental racism aren’t the most cheerful conversation topics.

But the people and organizations working to fix these problems are the most inspiring I’ve known in my 19 years on planet Earth. Their commitment is infectious.

On Sunday, I had the chance to attend the People’s Climate March in New York City with about 20 other UNC students. It was an empowering feeling to be surrounded by new friends, college students, parents, children, members of marginalized communities and environmental organizations — all marching for climate justice.

The march opened my eyes to a generational shift between baby boomers and millennials. Overwhelmingly, our parents bought into the fossil fuel lifestyle. According to CNN, between 1970 and 2000, the percentage of Americans living in suburbs increased from 38 to 50 percent.

But today, public transit ridership is at a 50-year high, according to The Atlantic. A survey of transit users by TransitCenter found that millenials are much more likely to use public transportation than their older counterparts.

It’s time for our infrastructure to reflect this demand. The Department of Transportation must begin shifting investment to light rail and bus rapid transit options to provide our generation with the means to be mobile and productive.

This desire for further sustainable investment can be applied elsewhere. At the forefront of this power shift are students at universities across the country advocating for the divestment of the schools’ endowment from fossil fuels.

The Board of Trustees unanimously adopted the Sierra Student Coalition’s proposal to “target investments in clean energy” yesterday — an acknowledgement of this generation’s priorities. This success is owed to the SSC’s willingness to work with the administration to accomplish a positive step in the direction of sustainable investment, one of Student Body President Andrew Powell’s platform planks.

The SSC knows the ultimate goal of divestment is not yet achieved. For now, its most vital responsibility now should be holding the board, the chancellor’s office, and the UNC Management Company accountable to ensure effective implementation.

The future holds great potential for the change needed to save the planet’s climate from becoming too unstable to support life. Though the actions of university students might seem small now, their collective effects will be significant. My favorite sign from the march bore a simple message. “If not us, who? If not now, when?”