This Monday was Earth Day, a time for us to examine our treatment of the environment. In order for us to live a healthy lifestyle and appreciate nature in all of its beauty, we must make sure that our environment is sustainable. Hofstra has done much to promote sustainability, but there is still a great deal more that we can do.

The university has made great strides in the areas of sustainable energy, waste disposal and clean water. Hofstra now has a cogeneration plant that fulfills a large percentage of the campus’ energy needs. When we use energy, much of it gets released as heat and is wasted. The cogeneration plant captures some of this wasted heat and uses it for other purposes.

Hofstra has also made efforts to decrease waste disposal by offering reusable trays in the Student Center. In addition, a growing number of campus buildings are equipped with hydration stations at which students can obtain filtered water. This is a real improvement because it cuts down on our use of plastic bottles, and it is a convenient source of water.

However, there is still so much more that the Hofstra community can do to improve the environment. For example, the campus still releases print flyers advertising which movies will play during the weekend, even though the Office of Student Leadership and Activities already publishes this information online. Relying more on the Internet would reduce the amount of paper that we waste.

Furthermore, I have long supported the idea of the Student Center providing small discounts for students who choose reusable trays. I do not know whether this idea would be practical, but it would give students another reason to choose more sustainable options.

There are also steps toward sustainability that we can take as individuals. Some of the most obvious ways of reducing our environmental footprint include recycling whenever possible and turning electronics off when they are not being used.

However, the most important thing that we can do is to truly appreciate the wonderful aspects of nature. I accomplish this by relaxing outside whenever possible, even when doing homework. Taking such action would allow us to have greater respect for the planet on which we live.

Promoting a healthy environment need not be a burden or sacrifice. Innovations in technology make sustainable living more possible, and there are plenty of ways that we can achieve this goal without drastically changing our way of life. So, as we celebrate another Earth Day, let us strive to improve on our efforts to create a cleaner environment.