Environmental group wants campus to sign Talloires Declaration
Nathan Edwards
Issue date: 2/23/07 Section: News
Last fall the Environmental Club of UNO was created and began a campaign for environmental change and awareness at the campus. Among other initiatives, the club is attempting to get the UNO administration to sign and recognize the Talloires Declaration.
The Talloires Declaration was created and first signed in 1990 in Talloires, France. It is an environmental initiative focused on promoting and accomplishing environmental sustainability issues at universities across the globe. It was spearheaded by Jean Mayer, the president of Tufts University, and was originally signed by 20 universities, including the American University of Beirut, Colegio de Mexico and the University of Northern Iowa.
The declaration is comprised of 10 goals, which signatories agree to enact at their respective universities. The goals include a strong focus on educating students, faculty and staff on the many different issues that comprise the whole of environmental sustainability.
"Sustainability, and more specifically the ability to affect significant change, involves a blend of all 10 of these action points," said Bryce Bonet, the vice president of UNO's environment club. "Education, collaboration, action, partnerships and maintenance of the program are essential. Education is the foundation to evolution and change. Education is the key to every environmental issue that we will ever face."
Bonet went on to say that the club would implement its goals by trying to put environmental issues in context for the university.
"We may wish to view the environment as the air, water, earth and sky," Bonet said. "But rather our true environment is everything we consume in life, [such as] our attitude, our respect for nature, the food we put in our bodies, the generosity we show our neighbors. [Our goal is] recognizing that truth and developing a movement that addresses the greater totality of those issues."
Bonet believes the declaration allows UNO to implement change because it carries so many issues regarding social responsibility, which allows for greater awareness and education, changing environmental practices and better outreach.
The Talloires Declaration was created and first signed in 1990 in Talloires, France. It is an environmental initiative focused on promoting and accomplishing environmental sustainability issues at universities across the globe. It was spearheaded by Jean Mayer, the president of Tufts University, and was originally signed by 20 universities, including the American University of Beirut, Colegio de Mexico and the University of Northern Iowa.
The declaration is comprised of 10 goals, which signatories agree to enact at their respective universities. The goals include a strong focus on educating students, faculty and staff on the many different issues that comprise the whole of environmental sustainability.
"Sustainability, and more specifically the ability to affect significant change, involves a blend of all 10 of these action points," said Bryce Bonet, the vice president of UNO's environment club. "Education, collaboration, action, partnerships and maintenance of the program are essential. Education is the foundation to evolution and change. Education is the key to every environmental issue that we will ever face."
Bonet went on to say that the club would implement its goals by trying to put environmental issues in context for the university.
"We may wish to view the environment as the air, water, earth and sky," Bonet said. "But rather our true environment is everything we consume in life, [such as] our attitude, our respect for nature, the food we put in our bodies, the generosity we show our neighbors. [Our goal is] recognizing that truth and developing a movement that addresses the greater totality of those issues."
Bonet believes the declaration allows UNO to implement change because it carries so many issues regarding social responsibility, which allows for greater awareness and education, changing environmental practices and better outreach.
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