When walking through West Campus, it’s not uncommon to see discarded trash and overflowing trash bins. We can do better. This is our campus, and we need to protect it from environmental degradation. Saving the environment can seem like an impossible task, but it’s easier than you think. 

At UT, there are a multitude of ways to get involved in environmental preservation efforts. Simple lifestyle changes and involvement in campus initiatives can make a difference, and all it takes is getting started. 

In this forum project:

Peyton Botik shares his perspective as a petroleum engineering junior interested in sustainability and discusses ways to incorporate environmentally-conscious choices daily. 

Eleanor Hammersly, a member of the Students Fighting Climate Change board of directors, argues that students of all academic and professional disciplines can effect change and help protect the environment.

The UT Office of Sustainability, Resource Recovery and Landscape Services teams explain UT’s current initiatives and programs aimed towards creating a more sustainable and eco-friendly campus. This op-ed was submitted by Veronica Trevino, assistant director of issues management, financial and administrative services.

The forum team consists of forum editors Faith DuFresne, Thasin Kamal, and editor-in-chief Megan Tran. As always, if you have any thoughts on this topic or any other, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected].