In the wake of the recent barrage of both man-made environmental disasters and natural calamities it should be duly noted that our ever-threatened ecosphere is fragile and that our policies purporting to protect it are fallible. The caustic, apocalyptic rhetoric of a bygone era of environmentalism has metamorphosed into a strain of pragmatic optimism and has subsequently struck a responsive chord with the general public.

The blueprints for a successful environmental movement, however, call for more than just public awareness. Just as the fledgling flames of a potential blaze can easily be snuffed by a stiff breeze, the environmental monument is constantly threatened by a similarly uncertain future.

Widespread public support, as manifested by grassroots-style local political action, is the key.

As students, poised to inherit the Modern World and all its accompanying challenges, we must be extra-sensitive to the current state of affairs and frequently surmise what the future may hold. We must also be extra-receptive to the prudent solutions in the brewing.

A chapter of the Student Environmental Action Coalition is forming on campus and invites all interested parties to lend their time and talents. And while it is slightly utopian to imagine that every student on campus will be able to get involved, those who are able will appreciate a sympathetic nod from the rest.

Chris Schlake

Senior

Political science