Spring 2008 Volume 104 Issue 2 : letters
Re: "Changing Colors," Winter 2007
It may be of interest to VQ readers to reflect on the sustainability of our green commitment. Although the world seems in 2007 finally to have woken up to environmental threats such as global warming, this could be termed as more of a reawakening. In 1989, the year in which Time magazine memorably accompanied the title feature “Planet of the Year” with a holographic image of an exploding earth, the environment was also a huge issue of public concern. Under the motto of “Waste Not,” a group of environmentally active Vassar students ran a successful series of events, including an exhibition in the College Center, on issues such as recycling, global warming, population growth, and rainforest destruction. Going back further a generation to 1972 I can well imagine that the Club of Rome Report also acted as a stimulus for environmental activism on the campus.
The rise and fall in environmental awareness reflects how difficult it is for us as individuals to sustain the high levels of idealism and integrity which are necessary to make a difference. Institutions such as Vassar can make a unique contribution via curriculum and communication, by ensuring that we are taking a sustainable lead on this issue and not merely following trends.
Ben Horsbrugh ’89
Oldenburg, Germany